Fish Friends Program

Education and community leaders in central Newfoundland are very interested in actively participating and collaborating in the Fish Friends program that was developed and established by the Atlantic Salmon Federation in the early 1990’s until it was discontinued in 2011. This highly successful program gives children and adults the opportunity to explore the world of the wild Atlantic salmon. In 2021, ERMA revitalized the program at one school. ERMA has the facilities, qualified experienced team members and DFO licencing to collect Atlantic salmon to provide fertilized eggs for this program.
During the 2026–2027-year, ERMA will continue the program and include up to 20 schools in central Newfoundland. Participating schools will be supplied with incubating systems (tanks and incubators), where ERMA team members will deliver fertilized salmon eggs. Students then learn and observe the life cycle, raising salmon to the “fry” stage, before returning them to the Exploits River.
The third Wild Atlantic Fly Tying Symposium for Youth, set for spring, 2026, will again be hosted by ERMA at the Salmonid Interpretation Center. There will be more than 100 students from at least 10 schools. These students will have participated in the Fish Friends Program as well as the Fly-Tying Program in the various schools. The day will consist of fly tying, fly casting, fly exchange, processing and cooking of wild Atlantic salmon, and a presentation from DFO.