l.Iigital File on HRSEP CD FISS:

IiR:SEP2001/2002 FINAL FU:: .... UK I #01 -YT -RWS - 010 Project Reference Number:

Habitat Restoration Contract: # F1528 - F002 - 0053

Project Title: I YUKON SCHOOLS FRY RELEASES AND HABITAT STUDIES

Organization Name: I STREAMKEEPERS NORTH SOCIETY

Contact Name, Title: IDOUG DAVIDGE, TREASURER

Mailing Address: 76 KLUANE CRESCENT WHITEHORSE, YUKON Y1A3G9

Phone: (867) 668-2233 Fax: C/O (867) 667-7962

Alt Phone: (867) 667-3409 Alt Fax:

Email: I [email protected]

Web Page:

Please list the partners in this project and their roles. Include the organizations, governments, funding sources, or volunteer groups that helped get this project started and completed. Roles may include (but are not limtted to) : letters of support, financial support, volunteer labour, help with acquiring permits, administration, access to landowner property, etc.).

WHITEHORSE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE-incubated chinook eggs to eyed stage and providing field trip venue, building carts . KLUANE LAKE SCHOOL-school took eggs at the Kluane River DFO - conducted egg takes for the schools and provided technical assistance for the Salmon in the Classroom program YUKON SALMON COMMITTEE HABITAT STEWARDS- assisted with equipment distribution and some field trips, took Klondike eggs YUKON SCHOOLS-teaching the 'Salmon in the Classroom Program" , incubating salmon eggs, leading YUKON STUDENTS on field trips assisted by PARENT VOLUNTEERS YUKON TEACHERS ASSOCIATION-offered a letter of support for the program

Page 1 PROJECT PREPARATION

Project Rationale (Why was This project enabled students involved with the "Salmon in the Classroom" this project important?) program to participate in field trips including fry releases and various habitat studies.

Was a feasibility study or pre-assessment done for this project? Yes 0 No [8]

If yes, please describe when and by whom.

Did you receive DFO input on this project? Yes [8] No 0

Name, Title, and Location of DFO Contacts that helped TRIX TANNER, Education Coordinator, DFO Whttehorse, you with this project: AL VON FINSTER, Resource Restoration biologist, DFO Whitehorse,

PROJECT OBJECTIVES (FROM "APPENDIX A" OF YOUR CONTRACT)

Objective # 1 : To enable students involved with the "Salmon in the Classroom" program to participate in a fry release field trip including various salmon habitat studies.

Was it achieved?.. Yes [8] No D Details: Funding ensured that all Yukon schools using the Salmon in the Classroom program could participate in field trips where they released their salmon fry and conducted various habitat studies. Nineteen schools participated, but only 15 schools required funding. Some funding was also used to purchase water sampling equipment for use by schools on these and other field trips.

Objective # 2 : To enable classes that incubate salmon in their schools to release their fry back into their natal streams Was it achieved?: Yes [8] No Details: Twenty one schools participated in the classroom incubation program and all classes were given the opportunity to release salmon back into their natal streams. Two schools had no survivng fry. Nineteen schools released their fry. Half of the schools chose to bring them to the Mcintyre incubation site for WCC to release into the Takhini drainage. Many schools chose this option because the site is close to schools, is a good site for stream studies, and it is logistically and financially easier to get to than the Takhini River.

Page 2 Objective # 3 : To give students, teachers and parent volunteers an appreciation of the natural aquatic habitat of the salmon through hands on activities at the release sites and thus to foster stewardship of the salmon and their habitat.

Was it achieved?.. Yes N No 0 Details: Students and teachers participated in the field trip studies. In most cases, the classes were accompanied by, and in some cases were chauffeured by, parent volunteers. The DFO education coordinator was available to facilitate, and in most cases did facilitate, the field trip activnies. Activities varied with the age and time available. They included aquatic invertebrate studies, water quality and studies, life cycle games, and dissections.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Please provide an overview of your project below. If required, you may attach an additional sheet. Your summary should include: • Methods used to accomplish your completed or partially completed objectives i)1;;!i;;itBi'i~~~ifti;/~4~!~ij1t~K~ijwl to plan, or if you encountered unexpected difficulties • Whether the project took longer or less time than projected

Page 3 (Project Summary) The DFO Salmon in the Classroom program, in partnership with the Whitehorse Correctional Centre Mcintyre Creek Salmon Incubation Project and Habitat Stewards enabled chinook eggs incubation in twenty one schools in nine Yukon communities 2000. Three stocks of salmon eggs were used and schools were given eggs from stocks as close to each school as was available. Students and teachers looked after the salmon from the egg stage through to the fry stage, with technical support from DFO. Teachers used a variety of materials over the school year to teach the salmon theme. Classroom incubators used were 20 to 33 gallon aquariums, equipped with new Fluval filter systems and often with backup undergravel filters and/or corner filters. Incubators were covered with Styrofoam SM and kept cool with Taylor Refrigeration/Aquachill aquarium cooling units. Classes monitored temperature and development, fed fry when they emerged and maintained the tanks from the time they received the eggs in late October or early November 1999 until the fry were released between late April and early June 2001. Problems encountered with equipment during the incubation period included poor water quality in one tank due to overfeeding and inadequate filtration, poor water quality due to a high copper water source (Mayo), and overheating of fry due to disconnection of cooling system from power source. Klondike River eggs did not survive, perhaps due to poor quality of the salmon taken. The other main problem encountered outside of the incubation period was breakage of cooling equipment due to improper storage and handling. Fry releases took place between early May and mid June. Yukon students involved with the Salmon in the Classroom incubation projects were bused or chauffeured by volunteers out to various creeks to release salmon fry to their natal streams and to participate in various habitat studies. Takhini River fish were released into Flat Creek, a Takhini River tributary, or into the MCintyre capilano troughs for later release by the Whitehorse Correctional Centre. Other salmon were released to Tatchun Creek. Some schools traveled as far as 300 km. Students, accompanied by teachers and parent volunteers, released their own fry. The DFO education coordinator accompanied seventeen of the classes on their fry release field trips and facilitated habitat study activities. Two teachers facilitated their own field trip studies. Fourteen classes incorporated a tour of the Mcintyre Creek Salmon Incubation Project. Some did so on their way to the release site. Others released their fry at the Mcintyre site and conducted field studies in Mcintyre Creek. Field trip durations varied from a couple of hours to overnight. The Salmon in the Classroom fry release field trips gave students a hands-on experience with salmon and aquatic habitats. The sense of stewardship that the students developed for the salmon fry they reared in the classroom was extended to include the natural habitat of the salmon, and aquatic habitats in general. The field trip at the end of the year was a memorable experience that brought to life the scientific concepts students had been taught in the classroom. New Fluval 203 canister filters that were purchased for schools in 2000 were quiet and effective, resulting in beUer habitat for the students and the salmon! Less money was spent on field trips than was anticipated, as some schools without surviving fry decided not to participate in a field trip. And many schools chose the closer, cheaper field trip site for various reasons- time, road conditions, funding. Funds remaining were used to purchase HACH water quality test kits for use by Yukon Schools on aquatic field trips.

Page 4 PROJECT STATUS AND FOLLOW-UP

Please describe the current status of the project. Please comment on the following: • Whether the project is complete • Has the problem being addressed been solved? (see "Project Rationale" on page 3) • Recommendations for future work

'Fry releases and other field trips for the 2001 field season have been completed. Nineteen schools participated in these field trips. 'Yukon students studying Salmon in the Classroom in 2000-2001 had their year of studies expanded and enriched by the field tripes) they were able to participate in. The in-class part of the salmon program was also improved by the new filter systems supplied to those classes that were incubating salmon. , *The Whitehorse Correctional Centre has built several of the classroom incubator carts that house the incubation equipment and prevent breakage of chillers. They have been distributed to schools that have run the program for many years. More will be distributed as they are built. The incubators and fry are safer when stored and operated on these carts.

Page 5 -'

The statistics you will provide below help us to determine the specific and overall achievements of the Habitat Restoration and Salmon Enhancement Program. A summary report will be completed in the winter of 2001/2002, and distributed to all previously funded proponents. This report will be available to all interested individuals and organizations.

PERSONNEL

Total # of persons trained (staff and volunteers):

STAFF VOLUNTEERS Number of persons employed: 1 Number of volunteers involved: 1L...4.:..:5:..:o'--_-' (Teachers, parents, students) Person-days of employment created: 1 1 Total number of volunteer hours: 11000

ACTIVITY TYPE

Species Addressed (check all that apply):

Coho D Chinook [8J Pink D Sockeye D Chum [8J Steelhead D Other D (Specify):

Activity type (check all that apply):

Inventory & Mapping (See #2 below) D Public Awareness (See #3 below) [8J Stock Enhancement (See #1 below) D Other (Specify): D

QUANTIFIABLE RESULTS

1. For Stock Assessment and Enhancement Projects:

Number of Juvenile Salmon Enumerated:

Number of Adult Salmon Enumerated:

Number of Salmon marked/tagged or released: ,--I=.88",O=------,

Other (specify):

Page 6 2. For Mapping & Inventory Projects:

Was your data collected in accordance with the DFO-HEB Info. Management guidelines or Sensitive Habitat Inventory Mapping (SHIM) guidelines? Yes 0 No 0

If yes, was it submitted in digital format? Yes 0 No 0

Linear or square metres of area mapped or inventoried: mO m2 0

3. For Stewardship/Community Planning and Public Awareness Projects:

Number of Public Presentations/Media Releases:

Number of Landowners Contacted:

Other (specify): Nineteen fry releases with habitat studies.

4. For Habitat Restoration Projects:

Habitat Addressed (Check as many as apply):

In-channel 0 Lake o Off-channel 0 Estuarine/Marine o Riparian 0 Other (Specify): 0

Fencing: Stream length protected metres I

Stream area protected Square metres I (fence-to-bank width x length along stream):

Riparian replanting: Area replanted Square metres I

Number of trees/shrubs planted

In-channel habitat: Stream area restored Square metres I

Off-channel habttat: Stream area created/restored Square metres I

Estuarine habitat: Area created/restored Square metres I

Lake habitat: Area created/restored Square metres I

Fish Access: Length of stream made available metres I

Total area of habitat made available (square metres): Square metres I

Other (specify):

Page 7 PROJECT LOCATION

This information will help us to enter your project into the "Fisheries Project Registry", a joint Federal­ Provincial database that summarizes fisheries projects in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory.

Name(s) or Code from the "BC Watershed Atlas"

Creek(s), stream(s), or river(s) where project took Various tributaries within the Yukon River place: watershed: Kluane R (code 843571), Tatchun (code 8008501), Takhini (code 880), Mcintyre Creek(800969500000) and Flat Creek (code 8801275)

Name of local watershed: Mcintyre Creek (800969500000) and/or various tributaries above

Major Drainage (check one): DFraser River DMackenzie River DColumbia River DSkeena River DNass River DStikine River DTaku River ~Yukon River DOther/Marine

Marine Statistical Area or Sub-Area:

Nearest Community: Whitehorse (closest to Mcintyre incubation site, but see attached School Projects file for communities with school salmon incubation projects)

Other geographic information to help us locate your project:

Latitude: 1 Mcintyre site: 60deg. 45' 20" N Longitude: 1 Mcintyre site: 135deg. 05' 40" W

UTM Coordinates: Grid Zone: LI_---' Easting: 1"-____-' Northing: LI_____ ....J

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

You may attach addttional documentation to illustrate your project's results. (optional)

Documentation Attached (Check as many as applicable)

Maps D Brochure D Photos D News clippings D Data report D Other ~..; (list of school projects)

Page 8 HRSEP FUNDING SUMMARY

Since your HRSEP project began, you have provided interim financial statements and project updates with your invoices to receive installments of your funding. One final financial statement that summarizes all spending of HRSEP money is required for your final payment. Please enclose your financial statement and final invoice with this summary report.

Total received from HRSEP to date: I $890.00

Date: I 2001/09/18

Total HRSEP money spent and reported on I $4400.00 financial statement fonn (please attach statement): L.______---'

Total received from HRSEP after final invoice is I$4400.00 paid:

HRSEP FUNDING DETAILS

Please enclose an HRSEP standard financial statement. These are available by mail or e-mail upon request from Elizabeth Leboe at (604) 666-8515.

It is not necessary to forward copies of individual receipts and invoices. As per the tenns of your Habitat Restoration Contract, please retain these in your files for a minimum period of three years, as DFO reserves the right to audit all HRSEP projects.

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

Contributions to the project's total budget may have been from other agencies or in-kind contributions from your own organization; please provide basic details below. Please estimate in-kind donations if not known exactly:

Funding Source Details Amount offunding (please note iffunding is 'in-kind')

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

Contributions to the total budget may have been from other agencies or in-kind contributions from your own organization; please provide basic details below. Please add an ex1ra page if necessary:

Funding Source Details Amount of funding (please note if funding is 'in-kind')

YTG Department of Education: time of 21 lin kind teachers

Time of 40 Parent volunteers on field trips: lin kind

Page 9 DFO: provided education coordinator to lin kind facilitate field trips

Whitehorse Correctional Centre: maintains hatchery where many eggs were eyed, and which over 200 students toured I'" ""'

~------~I ~I$ ______~

Page 10 SUMMARY OF SALMON INCUBATION PROJECTS IN YUKON SCHOOLS: 2000·2001

SCHOOL TEACHER COMMUNITY SPECIES OF STOCK SOURCE NUMBER %SURVIVAl # frY COMMENTS SAlMON OF EGGS calc column TO RELEAS released

1 Grey Mountain Trisha Toovey WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.88 45 2 SELKIRK Sharon Flanagan WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.88 45 3 eKES Bev Avano WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.92 47 4 FHC Scott Kirby WHSE CHINOOK TAKHrNI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.94 48 5 Vanier Bob Kuntz WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.98 50 6 WHSE.ELEM Corrine Girtler WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.94 48 7 WooDST.... ## Bob Sharp WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.88 45 B HOLY FAMILY Betty Byblow WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.94 48 9 TAKHINI Pattie Nash/Sharon WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.86 44 10 JACK HUlLAND Chris Hobbis WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.98 50 11 ELIJAH SMITH Gail Smith res.rm. WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.98 50

12 GOLDEN HORN Mae Goodmundson WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.06 3 13 HIDDEN VALLEY Kim Thompson WHSE CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.78 40

14 CARCROSS Francis Nyman CARCROSS CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 101 0.79 80 50 eggs in tray for 2nd tank 15 Watson Lake High Naomi Takhini eggs WATSON L. Chinook Takhini MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.98 50 16 KLUANE LAKE Roxienne Prestone DESTR. BAY CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.98 50 17 Beaver Creek Mary Crumb Beaver Creek CHINOOK TAKHINI MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0.88 45 % TOTALS/AVERAGES TAKHINI: 917 B5.93 7BB 18 JV Clark Wendy Andree Mayo CHINOOK TATCHUN MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 0 19 Eliza van Blbber Kat Roberts Polly CHINOOK TATCHUN MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 45 20 TANTALUS Jill Mason CARMACKS CHINOOK TATCHUN MCINTYRE PROJECT 51 45 % TOTALS/AVERAGES TATCHUN: 153 5B.B2 90

21 ROBERT SERVICE Gwen Bell DAWSON CHINOOK klondike Jake 0

TOTALSlAVERAGES:Klondike 0

% YUKON SCHOOLS TOTALS/AVERAGES: 1070 B2.06 B7B Yukon schools: 2000-01

Education Coordinator: Trix Tanner

School Projects: The Salmon in the Classroom curriuculum material is in all 26 Yukon Schools. In the 2000-2001 school year, 22 schools in ten Yukon Communities plan to incubate eggs in classroom incubators. Schools along the Klondike Highway will be incubating Tatchun Creek chinook. Schools in Whitehorse and the Southern Communities will be incubating Takhini River chinook. (Morley River chinook eggs were not obtained this year due to high water levels and low numbers of salmon.) Schools along the Alaska Highway north of Whitehorse will be conducting a chum egg take and incubating. green eggs. All chinook eggs are delivered to schools at the eyed stage. Prior to this they are incubated at the Mcintyre Creek