This project was set up as a pilot scheme in February 2007 in Kilrea Primary School and St Columbas Primary, Kilrea and after proving very successful it was expanded into 10 primary schools in 2008. It is hoped that in the future the project will be taken into 20 schools. It is run as a cross community project with the local catholic and protestant schools working together. The following schools took part in this project in 2008:

• Kilrea Primary and St Columbas Primary, Kilrea
• Portglenone Primary and St Marys Primary, Portglenone
• Rasharkin Primary and St Patricks Primary, Rasharkin
• Bellaghy Primary and St Marys Primary, Bellaghy
• Killowen Primary and St John Boscos Primary, Ballynerve

Aims and objectives

• To teach the pupils the life cycle of the Atlantic Salmon in a practical and hands on way by running an on going science experiment in their classroom over a number of weeks.

• To show the pupils nature in action by looking after salmon eggs, watching them hatch into alvins and look after them until they become free swimming fry.

• To give the pupils the responsibility of carrying out this project themselves and to learn how to record results and ensure the project is running smoothly.

• To teach the pupils about invertebrate life in water and how this can be used as a pollution index.

• To teach the pupils water safety and how to enjoy their environment in a safe and responsible manner.

• To show pupils how a salmon management policy on a major river system works by visiting Bushmills Salmon hatchery.

All these objectives have been met by running this project and more. It has also covered several aspects of the enriched curriculum required by schools including numeracy, literacy and play as well as including required elements in their key stage 2 curriculum.

The project begins with the mini-hatchery being set up in the classroom and it is explained to the pupils how this is done and what they have to do to look after it. At this stage they receive a lesson on the life cycle of the salmon and all the problems that the salmon face in the wild Ð over fishing, environmental destruction and pollution.

The project is then monitored and the water changed on a regular basis. Any minor problems are solved and all questions answered during these visits to the schools.

The pupils look after the eggs, then fry through the Alvin stage until they become free swimming fry. At this stage they take the fry to their local lower Bann feeder stream for release. Before this release takes place we carry out a stream dipping exercise and collect invertebrates which are taken back to the class room for identification. This shows the pupils the massive of variety of life to be found in the water and that all this life is available to the salmon fry and other fish as food. The pupils are also shown how to work out a pollution index based on the invertebrates present.

The project is finished with a visit to Bushmills Salmon Hatchery where the pupils see a hatchery on a large scale.