Invermere, Canada – On a crisp morning in late May, students gathered along a stretch of the Columbia River where snow still capped the distant Rocky and Purcell peaks. They carried plastic cups holding young sockeye salmon fry, ready to release them into waters that had not seen the species in generations. The event marked another step in an effort led by First Nations to bring salmon home to the Upper Columbia River system in British Columbia.
The releases form part of a larger restoration push that began after dams blocked fish passage nearly a century ago. Local communities now watch as the fish take their first free swims downstream from the river’s headwaters. The work blends classroom science with traditional practices that honor the connection between people and the waterway.
A Ceremony Rooted in Tradition
Mark Thomas, the Secwépemc salmon chief for the Upper Columbia, opened the day with a smudging ritual. He used an eagle’s wing to waft smoke from burning juniper and sage held in an abalone shell. The gesture prepared the group and the fish for the moment of release.
Thomas then spoke to the students about speaking directly to the water. “When you go down to the river, tell the water your name, introduce yourself to the water spirits,” he said. “Then you can pray for whatever you want. You can pray to be smarter, or taller. You can pray for your family – or the fish.” Drumming and traditional song accompanied each child as they tipped their cup into a simple funnel and watched the fry dart away.
Classroom to Riverbank
The Fish-in-Schools program gives students a direct role in the restoration. Over five months, classes raised sockeye salmon from pea-sized eggs through the alevin stage, when the tiny fish still carried their yolk sac, and finally to free-swimming fry. Teachers and elders guided the process, turning abstract lessons about river health into a tangible experience.
By the time of the release, the students had observed every early phase of the salmon’s life. The hands-on work builds both scientific understanding and a sense of responsibility toward the returning fish. Many participants return year after year, tracking the progress of earlier cohorts.
Reconnecting a Blocked River System
For decades, salmon could not reach the Upper Columbia because of barriers downstream. The absence changed fishing practices, cultural traditions, and the river’s overall ecology. First Nations communities have led recent efforts to reverse that loss through hatchery support, habitat work, and educational programs like the one in Invermere.
Each successful release adds to the growing population of young fish entering the system. While full recovery will take many seasons, the consistent involvement of schools and elders keeps the momentum visible and personal. The river now carries both the memory of what was lost and the evidence of what is returning.
What Comes Next for the Fish and the Communities
Continued monitoring will show how many of the released fry survive their journey and eventually return as adults. Local leaders emphasize that success depends on steady habitat protection and ongoing cultural engagement. The students who sent the fry downstream this spring may one day welcome the first returning adults from their own releases.
The work in the Upper Columbia offers a clear example of how Indigenous knowledge and modern conservation can operate together. As more fry enter the river each season, the story of the salmon’s return continues to unfold in real time along these mountain waters.
