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Long-awaited Sooke hatchery opening hooks a crowd

Sooke River Jack Brooks hatchery a reality thanks to dedicated volunteers
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Former premier John Horgan (left), T-Sou-ke Nation elder Shirley Alphonse, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area director Al Wickheim, and former CRD director Mike Hicks take part in grand opening ceremonies for Sooke River Jack Brooks Hatchery on Saturday. (Photo by Kerrie Reay)

It’s easy to understand why volunteers and contributors that gathered for the grand opening of the Sooke River Jack Brooks Hatchery on Saturday were filled to the gills with pride.

“It’s nice to see the efforts of such a dedicated group of volunteers and supporters come to fruition,” said Jim Shinkewski, director of grants and community programs for the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

“This hatchery will help build the struggling stocks of coho and chinook to survive in the Strait of Georgia. Operations like this are essential to the survival of salmon. Moving the hatchery from its original location helped address water availability and access for volunteers.”

RELATED: Improvements flowing to Sooke salmon hatchery

Shinkewski said while the $190,00 donated to the Sooke River Jack Brooks Hatchery by the Pacific Salmon Foundation represents only a small part of the network of supporters, he was pleased to be able to attend the official opening and support such a worthwhile cause.

Elida Peers, secretary-treasurer for the Juan de Fuca Salmon Restoration Society, said the hatchery will stand as a testament demonstrating the environmental legacy that can be achieved when government funding and dedicated volunteers join forces to protect Pacific salmon.

The project was made possible through a partnership of the federal and provincial governments in 2019 that tagged $143 million to restore salmon habitats through the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

Visit sookesalmonenhancement.com for more information.



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About the Author: Rick Stiebel

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