Learning about wild Atlantic salmon and other fish species in our rivers and the ocean is fundamental to caring for them. The Abegweit Plamu’k na Kitapina’q (Salmon are our Friends) Program has been adapted from the Atlantic Salmon Federation Fish Friends curriculum published in 1995 to include Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The adapted program is made available to all schools participating across Prince Edward Island. Focusing on environmental sustainability, the Plamu’k na Kitapina’q program covers habitat, biodiversity, life cycles, change over time, adaptation to change, freshwater ecology, sustainability and stewardship. Based largely on science, this popular program also integrates Lnu’k (Mi’kmaq) traditional ecological knowledge, social studies, language arts, math and art.
Through this popular Plamu’k na Kitapina’q program, Island students raise Atlantic salmon from eggs to fry in their classrooms over a five-month period before releasing them into an Island river as part of a field trip. In 2013, eight Island schools participated in our Plamu’k na Kitapina’q program and as more expressed an interest in the program moving forward we continue to grow. By 2017, we had seventeen schools, in 2018 we had twenty-one schools and this year we are proud to announce we have twenty-six schools participating Island wide!
Pjila’si/Welcome, students and teachers of Charlottetown Rural High, Three Oaks Senior High, Montessori School Charlottetown, Belfast Consolidated and Vernon River Consolidated! We would like to officially welcome five new schools to our 2019 Plamu’k na Kitapina’q (Salmon Are Our Friends) Program.
The Abegweit Biodiversity Enhancement Hatchery located on the Scotchfort Reserve collects and spawns wild salmon before releasing them back into the rivers they came from. Some of the fertilized eggs are given to the schools. The tanks, chillers and other equipment are provided by the Abegweit Conservation Society through fundraising and from funding programs such as the PEI Wildlife Conservation Society and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. The Society’s Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge researcher and Indigenous Outreach and Education Manager Eliza Knockwood provides support to the teachers, gives informative presentations to the schools and organizes several fish releases island wide and the staff at the Hatchery provide technical advice as needed.
This is the System Package we provide to each participating school
We would like to acknowledge the Refrigeration Specialists Inc. for providing us with our chiller units for over 20 years and to The Atlantis for providing us with aquariums and supplies for our 2019 program. Wela’liek (Thank you on behalf of all of us)
NEW! Check out the photo gallery from our 2019 program!
Check out the photo gallery’s from our 2018 program!
Would you like to get involved with our Plamu’k na Kitapina’q Program? You can apply below!
We are proud to announce that we are ready to accept new applicants for our 2020 program!
News articles:
Students help with salmon conservation
Read more: http://www.peicanada.com/news/article_a83a4838-68ea-11e8-affc-47edf9ee36a6.html
Special send-off for salmon fry
Read more: http://www.journalpioneer.com/news/special-sendoff-for-salmon-fry-214027/