Fancy getting up close to some squirmy little salmon? North Canterbury Fish & Game are calling on volunteers to help fin clip 130,000 salmon smolt at the Montrose Hatchery on the weekend of the 20th and 21st of March.

“This is a great opportunity to bring the kids up for a look around the hatchery to view this year’s hatch of young salmon and trout,” says hatchery manager Dirk Barr.

What is fin clipping?	The process of fin clipping involves placing salmon in a bin containing an anesthetising agent where they are temporarily knocked out (for a few minutes) so volunteers can fin clip them using scissors. They are then placed back into the raceway where they immediately recover in the fresh water.
Why fin clip?	Mr Barr says that the fin clipping helps Fish & Game to monitor the effectiveness of their hatchery operations. Past phone surveys have indicated that around 10% of salmon caught come from the hatchery; however at certain times of the year it can be up to 50%. Fish from the hatchery are released into the Waimakariri and Rakaia catchments, and into Lake Coleridge
How to get involved	Fish & Game will supply volunteers on the fin clipping days with a BBQ lunch and drinks. Volunteers are invited to meet at the Yaldhurst Pub at 8am on Saturday or Sunday to organise transportation. Alternatively they meet at the Montrose Hatchery at 9:15am. To get to the hatchery head south a few kilometres from the Rakaia Gorge Bridge on SH72 and turn right at the first road (Blackford Road). Head up Blackford Road for approximately 6km and look out for a Fish & Game sign on the gate on your right. Head down the track, stick to the right of the ponds and you will arrive at the hatchery.
For further information	Emily Arthur Fish & Game Officer North Canterbury Work phone: 03 366 9191 Mob: 021 221 8332 or visit the website

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