Cordova Students Collect Salmon Eggs and Wade Into Spawning Habitat

We were thrilled to be joined by thirty-five 5th graders and their two teachers for salmon-fun out the road in Cordova! On a gorgeous sunny day, we worked with our partners at Prince William Sound Science Center and Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation and super volunteer Ken Hodges to guide students through a variety of activities that brought to life classroom lessons on watersheds and salmon spawning habitat and collected salmon eggs to place in their classroom tanks.

“My heart soared to hear them define riffles and pools and explain all the reasons bankside vegetation is so important to salmon habitat (in case you don’t know, it provides shade, keeps banks intact and reduces erosion, leaf litter feeds the insects that feed the fish, and when the trees fall into the stream, they create habitat!).

We were all in awe of the abundant spawning activity in the stream, including new culverts on the main stem of 18-mile stream, home to coho salmon and coastal cutthroat trout! The eggs they helped collect have now been placed in the school’s tank, and the students are eager to take on the role of caring for the eggs and monitoring the tank. Thanks to Alaska Department of Fish and Game for permitting this amazing educational opportunity.” —Kate Morse, CRWP Executive Director