Meridian Park students release tiny Coho salmon into Lake Ballinger

Two Meridian Park students with cups of tiny salmon to release into Lake Ballinger

Story and photos by Jim Siscel

On Sunday afternoon, April 30, 2023 Abby Lane invited Meridian Park Elementary School students to Lake Ballinger to release the Coho salmon that she has been responsible for raising at the school.

An orange bucket full of tiny salmon

Ms. Lane received the salmon eggs in early January. The eggs hatched in early February. She has been feeding them until now when they are big enough to survive in Lake Ballinger.

Netting the little salmon to put in plastic cup

Approximately fifty students, with their parents, came to the lake to assist in releasing the salmon.

Abby Lane (center with sunglasses)

It was an exciting activity for all who attended.

Many questions by attendees were answered about what would now happen in the next stage of the salmon life cycle for the little fish.

Releasing the salmon at the lake edge

The students took their cups of salmon and released them right at the edge of the lake.

An older student walked into the lake (with parent’s permission) to release her Coho salmon.

Lake Ballinger is directly north of Shoreline, in Snohomish county. Waters from the lake flow through a series of creeks on their way to Lake Washington.

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Jim Siscel is a retired Shoreline teacher (Echo Lake Elementary) who fosters fish programs in multiple Shoreline elementary schools.