Site
Right from the inauguration of the group, Juan de Fuca Salmon Restoration Society, discussions often focused on the desire for a salmon interpretive centre to spearhead education on salmon habitat issues. As the park-like surroundings of the Charters River seemed an inviting site, discussions were initiated with the property holder, Western Forest Products Ltd, with the idea of the organization being able to lease a small plot of land for use as an interpretive centre.
During lengthy negotiations, a turn of events changed the proceedings, so that the taxpayers of the region became owners of the relevant land in the area around the Charters River. The Capital Regional District acquired a substantial block of land from Western Forest Products, and in time, a 1.5 HA piece, running from the Charters River northward, was leased by the CRD to the Juan de Fuca Salmon Restoration Society.
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Foxgloves.
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Egg trays containing newly hatched salmon fry.
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Salmon hatchery tanks.
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Salmon fry in the growing tanks
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Salmon hatchery tanks.
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Salmon hatchery tanks.
Interpretation Building
Early in 2010, the Pacific Salmon Foundation, utilizing an opportunity made available by Western Economic Diversification Canada, was able to access funding enabling assistance to the development and construction of interpretive centres, and suggested the Juan de Fuca Salmon Restoration Society make application. Good news followed, and this funding, doubled and tripled by many generous donors, in cash and in kind, has resulted in a fledgling developing interpretive centre and a small demonstration hatchery.
Demonstration Hatchery
The Society’s demonstration hatchery works under permit from Fisheries & Oceans Canada (DFO), and provides the public an opportunity to view fry growing in tanks during the spring season.
After the harvested eggs and milt are carefully nurtured in the hatchery’s incubation trays, they are transferred to tanks, where volunteers take care of feeding and sanitation to the highest standards. At the appropriate stage of development, volunteers take on another chore, sometimes clipping the adipose fin of thousands of fry in order to identify them as hatchery-produced fish. When they are released into the Charters and Sooke Rivers to continue their growth, this ensures that the Juan de Fuca Salmon Restoration Society plays a role in increasing the stocks of catchable salmon.