The Fish in Schools (FinS) program provides Saskatchewan students with a firsthand look at fish and aquatic habitats in their very own classroom. The program involves raising trout from eggs to fry before releasing them in a provincially stocked waterbody. In January/February, eyed trout eggs are placed into special classroom incubators. Over the following 3 to 4 months, students care for their fish by monitoring and maintaining the conditions required for their trout to thrive. In May/June, the trout are ready to be released by the students.
How does my classroom get involved?
FinS is a great opportunity for schools to get involved with their local SWF branch, and for SWF branches to give back at a local level. Enrollment of a school in a FinS program should be endorsed by a local SWF branch, who will act as a liaison between the school and the provincial FinS coordinator at SWF Central Office. Branches are responsible for helping with equipment setup and maintenance, delivering eggs to the school, and assisting with the release of the fish.
Where do we get the equipment?
While the school is responsible for providing their fish with a tank, the SWF provides any additional equipment on top of the FinS Manual, which outlines operating instructions. The cost of initial set up is an estimated $1500, which the school or SWF branch are responsible to cover.
Ready to take the plunge? Contact the FinS Program Coordinator at Central Office (fins@swf.sk.ca) and let’s get hatching!
Registration:
The program runs from January to June, annually. New schools can register to participate for January, 2024, starting June 1st, 2023. Due to logistics, there are limited spots for new schools. New participants are encouraged to have registration information available when the registration period begins.
Please fill out the template ahead time to ensure you have all your information ready to go. The application template is available here: FinS Template 2022
The application window runs from June 1st to Sept 30th.