Fundraising for the Mossom Creek Hatchery rebuilding project got a boost last week with a $100,000 grant from the Pacific Salmon Foundation — and project team members are as happy as fish fry at feeding time.

“That really gave us a push and moved us ahead in our fundraising,” said Tracy Green, fundraising co-ordinator for the project. “It will allow us to be able to complete phase one of the new hatchery.”

Almost six months have passed since the hatchery burned down in December and much has been accomplished on the project to date but Green and her fellow team members say the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) cash is a significant contribution that will help the group meet its fundraising goal.

Project manager Pat Dennett said with community donations plus in-kind contributions from trades and technical services and the PSF grant, the group is just $110,000 shy of its fundraising goal for the two-storey structure.

HATCHERY TO RISE AGAIN

Originally, PSF had planned to give $25,000 from Salmon Conservation Stamp revenue ($6.30 fees fisherman pay to keep fish caught in tidal waters) but the total was raised to $100,000 when last year’s stamp revenue was confirmed. “That’s a significant increase and we appreciate it,” Dennett said. “We are still underfunded, and they’ll keep an eye open for us, hoping to see something more.”

Mossom Creek Hatchery co-founder Ruth Foster said the funding will enable the project to move forward so the hatchery can begin operations again in the fall.

“We will not lose another year of salmon work on Mossom,” Foster said.

PSF CEO Brian Riddell said the Port Moody hatchery is a worthwhile initiative to fund because of the work it does, not only enhancing salmon but raising awareness in the community, especially among young people.

(The Mossom hatchery got its start as an education program for Centennial students and was one of the first stream steward programs to be developed in B.C.)

dstrandberg@tricitynews.com