Salmon Association Lottery
in support of Kakabeka Falls hatchery
 

#LSN_Outdoors

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO - January 22, 2019   (LSN)   Money raised from this lottery goes to support the operation of the TBSA hatchery in Kakabeka Falls.  Operating costs of the hatchery are $30,000 to $40,000 per year depending on the number of fish raised each year.  Volunteers collect eggs in late September or early October and transport them to the hatchery.  They then care for the eggs in incubator trays till they hatch and are ready to be transferred in February into larger tanks for rearing.  They are fed daily in the rearing tanks where they grow to 3-4 inches by June.  The fry are then ready to be released into the Kam River where they will make their way out to Lake Superior to live and grow for the next 4 years before returning to a river to spawn. 

The TBSA was founded in 1987 by a group of sportsmen interested in establishing a “viable Chinook Salmon sport fishing industry.” The hatchery was constructed on the banks of the Kam River on property leased from Ontario Power Generation.  Construction and operation of the hatchery was completed by volunteers and paid for with funds raised from the community by these volunteers.  To this day almost 32 years later the hatchery continues to operate entirely by volunteers.  Over the years the volunteers have changed but the dedication to establishing and promoting Chinook salmon fishing in the Thunder Bay area remains strong.  The ongoing community support for our fund raisers also remains strong and is needed to continue. 

TBSA is now the only hatchery stocking salmon in Lake Superior.  There are 4 Ontario volunteer hatcheries stocking salmon in Lake Huron and several volunteer and government supported hatcheries stocking salmon in Lake Ontario on both the Canadian and USA sides of the lake.  All these volunteer hatcheries in Ontario are part of the Community Hatchery Program(CHP).  The CHP is administered by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) to assist the Ontario MNRF in regulating stocking efforts in Ontario Lakes.

The Thunder Bay Salmon Association  (TBSA) is selling tickets on a lottery draw for the following prize  package:
2019 Kawasaki Teryx 800 EPS LE Canadian Trailer 7X16 KFI 73” Plow Camso Track Kit

Tickets are just $20 each with only 5000 tickets being sold and are available now from any member of the TBSA, Excalibur, D&R, George's Market, Larry's Baits, First Class Gas or Adex in Arthur St Marketplace.  The TBSA Salmon Derby will be held from July 12-14/2019 and the winning ticket for this lottery package will be drawn on July 14/19 at 7pm in the Victoria Inn during the derby awards presentation.