The Maine Lobster Festival recently donated $1,000 to South School Elementary to support their participation in the Fish Friends program, which focuses on students raising and releasing endangered Atlantic salmon.
The Fish Friends program, organized by the Maine Council of the Atlantic Salmon Federation, aims to educate students about the significance of wild Atlantic salmon and the importance of fisheries conservation. Fourth graders at South School Elementary will raise salmon from eggs in their classroom this spring, fostering a hands-on, experiential learning environment.
The grant will help cover the costs of necessary equipment, including a tank and chiller, to create a stable environment for the salmon eggs as they hatch and develop into fry. Once the fry are ready, students will release them into a nearby stream or estuary under the mentorship of Fish Friends.
Fourth-grade teacher Zoë Foster expressed her excitement: “We are grateful to the Maine Lobster Festival for their support. This project offers our students a hands-on learning experience where they can actively participate in a vital conservation initiative. It will empower them to become engaged stewards of this vulnerable species.”
About the Maine Lobster Festival
Five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine, the Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to the Midcoast region and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community. The 2025 Festival will be held July 30-Aug. 3 and will celebrate its 78th anniversary. For more information about the Maine Lobster Festival, visit the website at www.mainelobsterfestival.com, “like” it on Facebook, follow it on X (formerly Twitter) at @MELobsterFest, and on Instagram at @mainelobsterfest.
