The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Division of Sport Fish, Aquatic Education Program will hold its 22nd annual Kenai Peninsula Salmon Celebration on Wednesday,
May 10, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Johnson Lake State Recreation Area in Kasilof.
Approximately 900 elementary school students from the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will release catchable sized, hatchery-raised rainbow trout into Johnson Lake. Classes participating in the “Salmon in the Classroom” program will also be releasing coho salmon fry into Arc Lake the same day. These coho salmon fry were reared from eggs students collected in an October ADF&G “egg take” and placed in aquariums in classrooms or schools.
Thirty-one hands-on salmon and environmentally related activities will be setup throughout the recreation area. Some of these stations include juvenile and adult salmon identification, salmon life-cycle displays, a macroinvertebrate touch tank, information on catch-and-release fishing, spin and fly-casting practice stations, the salmon “wheel of misfortune,” water quality testing, water and wildlife safety, waterfowl identification, stream flow demonstrations, animal tracks, skulls and hides, and invasive aquatic species. Students will need approximately two and a half hours to complete all the activities.
The activities are intended to increase awareness of salmon, healthy environments and fosters a sense of stewardship toward Alaska’s valuable natural resources. This event is made possible by the volunteer assistance of Sterling Elementary students, ADF&G staff, Alaska State Parks, along with many other agencies, organizations, and community volunteers.