The Serpentine Enhancement Society has received $12,880 to replace salmon egg trays at the Tynehead hatchery.
The society is among 14 volunteer groups in the Metro Vancouver area that have received more than $112,687 to support the conservation and recovery of Pacific salmon populations and habitat in British Columbia.
The grants were provided through the 2011 spring funding round of the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Community Salmon Program.
The Tynehead Hatchery, which includes a classroom and research station, was built in 1988 by a dedicated group of volunteers.
The hatchery is currently using donated recycled egg trays older than 20 years, that have caused tens of thousands of young salmon deaths. The new trays provided by the Pacific Salmon Foundation will greatly increase salmon survival.
“Volunteers are the unsung heroes of Pacific salmon sustainability,” said Pacific Salmon Foundation president and CEO Dr. Brian Riddell.