Elementary Students To Help Restock Local Lake

AGRICULTURE/FISHERIES--Elementary Students To Help Restock Local Lake

More than 55 grade primary and grade one students from Jeddore Lakeville School will release 1,500 speckled trout in William Lake, Halifax County, on Wednesday, May 26 in an effort to restock the area.

"In order to encourage youth involvement in sportfishing and promote awareness of our natural resources, it's important that we continue to promote these restocking programs," said Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Chris d'Entremont. "It's encouraging to see young Nova Scotians participating in this program."

Staff from the department's inland fisheries division and representatives of the Eastern Shore Outdoor Heritage Society will assist in the restocking program. The initiative will teach children the importance of protecting the environment and give them an appreciation for outdoor recreational activities.

The department uses the spring restocking program to reduce angling pressure on wild trout while providing sportfishing opportunities in many urban areas. Speckled trout is the predominant species used in the department's hatchery program, accounting for an average of 83 per cent of annual hatchery production. For more information see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/sportfishing .