ONA’s Fish in Schools program is one of the key fish education programs for youth in the region, particularly the Sockeye salmon, so that students may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat.
Since 2003 Okanagan Nation Alliance’s FinS (Fish in Schools, previously S2S-Stream to Sea) in-class program has been educating regional students and teachers about the salmon lifecycle and the importance of their ecosystem so that they may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat. FinS supplies the necessary equipment and support needed for students to raise from egg to fry stage. ONA provides a 29 Gallon tank with cover, stand/cart, aquarium chiller, and start up supplies; gravel, filters, filter replacements, siphon, insulated cover, thermometer, water conditioners as well as the salmon spawn.
Beginning in mid-January, ONA staff delivered the fertilized eggs to the participating schools and explain the lifecycle and habitat requirements to the students. We also explain the external physical attributes of both male and female Sockeye and answer any questions. Once the eggs have hatched, and buttoned up, the fry will be fed daily until ready for release. During incubation and rearing, the tank will be monitored to ensure that water and temperatures are within the healthy limits for raising sockeye.
VIDEO: cewelna Leon Louis Praying for Sockeye Fry Release
2026 Participating Schools
Okanagan
1. En’owkin Centre
2. John Allison Elementary
3. Big White Community School
4. Queens Park Elementary School
5. West Bench Elementary School
6. Oliver Elementary School
7. Tuc-el-nuit Elementary School
8. Senpaq’cin Elementary School (OIB)
9. OK Falls Elementary
10. Similkameen Elementary Secondary School
11. Osoyoos Secondary
12. Osoyoos Elementary
13. KVR Middle School
14. ntamɬqən snm’aʔm’a̓yaʔtn School (LSIB)
15. Cawston Primary
16. Outma Sqilx’w Cultural School (PIB)
17. Casorso Elementary
18. Dorothea Walker Elementary
19. sənsisyustən House of Learning (WFN)
20. South Kelowna Elementary
21. Peachland Elementary
22. Ellison Elementary
23. Summerland Montessori School
24. Wiltse Elementary
25. Columbia Elementary
26. Penticton Excel
27. Summerland (Giants Head) Elementary
28. Princess Margaret Secondary
29. Ecole Entre Lacs
30. PIB Health Centre
31. UBC Okanagan
32. Peter Greer Elementary
33. Snxastwilxtn Health Centre (PIB)
34. Skaha Elementary
35. Kaleden Elementary School
36. Central School
37. Chief Tomat Elementary
38. Uplands Elementary
39. Naramata Elementary School
40. École H.S. Grenda
Upper Columbia
1. Perley Elementary
2. Greenwood Elementary
3. Hutton Elementary
4. Christina Lake Elementary
5. Big White Community School
6. Christina Lake Stewardship Society
7. Boundary Central Secondary
8. Hume Elementary
9. WE Graham Community School
10. Brent Kennedy Elementary
11. JL Crowe Secondary
12. Twin Rivers Elementary
13. Kinnaird Elementary
14. Stanley Humphries Secondary
15. Glenmerry Elementary
16. Rossland Summit School
17. JL Webster Elementary
18. Robson Community School
19. Fruitvale Elementary
20. Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre
21. Lucerne Elementary Secondary
22. Edgewood Elementary
23. Nakusp Elementary
24. Burton Elementary
25. Ecole des sentiers-alpins
26. Ecole des sept-sommets
27. St. Michael’s Catholic School
28. Valhalla Children’s Centre
29. FortisBC Kootenay Ops Centre
30. Circle of Indigenous Nations Society
When the sockeye fry are ready, they will be released with the rest of the Hatchery fry at the Annual ONA Sockeye Fry Releases.