Salmon in the classroom

School pupils have been delighted as salmon streamed into classrooms last month in refrigerated incubators! Year 9 pupils from St Colm’s High and P7’s from Oakwood Integrated Primary have been hatching fish eggs for release, into their local river with the help of the Belfast Hills Partnership.

This was part of the ‘Salmon in the Classroom’ project giving young people a unique opportunity to learn more about the life cycle of Atlantic Salmon. Additionally, they learn about threats to the species, the impact of pollution and the importance of looking after our rivers.

The project is part of the ‘Our Bright Future’ initiative, funded by the Big Lotter Lottery NI. ‘Our Bright Future’ aims to reconnect young people to their local environment, inspiring them to learn more about nature and becoming ambassadors for the planet.

The big release came during National Science Week when the children released their salmon into the Derriaghy River. This is a tributary of the River Lagan that flows from the Belfast Hills, through Belfast and Lisburn and out to sea at Belfast Lough.

The pupils also took part in river dipping using nets to catch freshwater invertebrates they later examined.

“By taking part in this hands-on conservation activity, we hope these pupils will develop a sense of pride in their local river and legacy that will hopefully be passed from generation to generation. It has been a brilliant experience for the children involved in the project with the pupils showing so much care and enthusiasm in nurturing their fish.” -Jo Boylan, Youth Outreach Officer for the Belfast Hills Partnership

Watch the short video below to see school pupils release the salmon into the Derriaghy River.

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