Hatchery Garage Sale Event

[Mi Chica]

2nd Annual Garage Sale to benefit the woefully underfunded Nanaimo River Hatchery will be held Saturday, September 24, 2011 at Harbour Chandler.

Funds raised are used for things like educational programs and the pink fishery programs. Last year we raised over $5000 for the Hatchery thanks to the generosity of contributors and purchasers. We had folks come from Campbell River to Duncan and we all had fun and got stuff at garage sale prices. With your help we will beat that total this year.

So.... if you have anything related to fishing, be it gear, electronics, boat stuff that you are not using we are collecting for the sale. Please go through your stuff and let me know by post or PM.

 

[Business Time]

Hey Mi Chica,

ZurTro Lures would be happy to donate some spoons for the hatchery garage sale.

I will contact you to arrange the details.

Thanks,

BT

 

[Mi Chica]

BT, thanks!!! We need everyone's support to make this successful, and you are helping to lead the way.

If anyone wonders why this fund-raiser is sorely needed, please read the following...
Nanaimo River Hatchery budget will be tight


By Robert Barron, Nanaimo Daily News March 31, 2011



Today marks the end of the fiscal year at the Nanaimo River Hatchery, but the budget for the hatchery's upcoming year will be tighter than ever.

The NRH, a vital component of salmonid enhancement in the Nanaimo area, receives $300,000 a year from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

That amount has not changed in 20 years and it is becoming difficult for the hatchery to operate properly because its costs are increasing.

Co-manager Brian Banks said the DFO funding provides barely enough to cover the primary operations at the hatchery, but its popular and informative school programs are paid for by fundraising in the community.

"Our budget has been frozen for many years but we're getting by, thanks to lots of support from the community," Banks said.

The NRH was opened in 1979 in response to rapidly declining chinook, coho and chum salmon stocks in the Nanaimo River and it's now one of more than a dozen operating on Vancouver Island under DFO's salmon-enhancement program.

The hatchery supports runs of chinook, coho, chum and now pink salmon as well, and releases more than one million fry each year into the Nanaimo River ecosystem.

Banks said the NRH is "struggling" to pay for its pink salmon program, which was only introduced in recent years, and the hatchery will likely soon go to the City of Nanaimo to request funding to assist.

RBarron@nanaimodailynews.com

DFO is determined to starve out every effort to support our fish stocks and educate the next generations - 20 years without an increase in funding is so ridiculous as to defy logic. By the way, the likelihood that the City of Nanaimo will be willing or able to help in any significant manner is so slim that it is not worth counting on. We need your help, people!!!

 

[Mi Chica]

Donation in kind received from Aqua Tech, commitment from Skippers and another major item from Pacific Net and Twine. More to come from businesses. we just need to start hearing from forum members!!

 

[Mi Chica]

We are beginning to receive "stuff" from anglers and businesses. More businesses are committing to donate goods but we need a lot more if this is going to be the blockbuster it should be. Let's support the hatchery and in the process a side benefit will be another jab at a DFO that seems to want to starve the hatcheries into extinction.

 

[Mi Chica]

More gear is starting to trickle in, and once everyone gets their new gear rigged that they got at the huge sale (Harbour Chandler) You can all contact us here to donate your now surplus gear, LoL. Keep it coming folks!