VIDEO: Okanagan Nation Alliance celebrates two million sockeye salmon fry released into Mission Creek

A special event for the Okanagan Nation Alliance's fishery program took place today on the banks of Mission Creek.

It was a ceremonial event.

Just 10,000 fry were released into the creek today, but close to two million are being introduced into the stream by the ONA this year.

"It's really exciting," said Okanagan Nation Alliance Biologist Dawn Machin, "because 26 years ago we didn't have a hatchery."

The program has grown from something symbolic to a major part of rebuilding fish stocks in Okanagan Lake and the surrounding streams and tributaries.

"To have a few million fry released into the lake is really powerful," said Machin. "Total released into the lake system is over four million."

Today's release is the latest in a series that have taken place along Mission Creek and other tributaries over the past three weeks.

"To come and sing and honour the fish," she said, "It's really important to all of us."

Some of the fish released today were raised by students in their own classrooms at Sensisyusten House of Learning.

ONA Fishery Technician Alfred Snow explained that the Alliance has been concentrating on Okanagan Lake and its Tributaries after having great success with lakes further to the south.

"Skaha Lake and Osoyoos Lake are at capacity for sockeye fry," said Snow.

The results of the Alliance's efforts in and around Okanagan Lake and its tributaries are expected to show in 2027 when the fish return to spawn.

"In four years time you're going to see a huge amount of sockeye," he said. "We're expecting to see maybe 300,000 returning in four years."

Westbank First Nation councillor Jordan Coble was among the dignitaries at the ceremonial release.

"It's practice of our responsibilities to care for the land, to care for the water, to care for each other," he said.

The fish being released are not to be confused with land-locked Kokanee salmon. They are true sockeye.

The effort is to re-introduce the ocean-going salmon that used to be in these waters generations ago.