DIPAC

Braeden's 2nd grade class just had their first field trip for the school year. They went to DIPAC *Will explain below*, and I signed up to chaperone (I always do!) and asked Ryan to join also because I thought it would be fun to re-educate ourselves in the process of the hatchery.

All parts of the AK fishing industry are important to me.
My Poppa is on the board of directors and is an international negotiator for different fish advisories/processors.
In the past I worked at Taku Smokeries (our city's main fish processing plant/mail order business). Ryan is a fourth generation commercial fisherman.... I guess you could say the industry is in both of our families blood.


DIPAC (Douglas Island Pink and Chum fish hatchery) was the destination of the field trip.
DIPAC started out as a hatchery (NOT a farm) for Pink and Chum salmon, but now they help sustain ALL 5 types of Wild Alaskan Salmon:
Chum, Sockeye, King, Silver and Pink

Braeden's class went on a "tour" of DIPAC, learned the life cycle of a salmon, and got to visit the aquarium/ touch tanks. Fun!

See the rocks on TOP of the Urchins? They put them there for protection! Learn something new every day, eh?

 Window into the fish ladder (it's cool to watch the salmon swimming up!)

The DIPAC fish ladder (the guide said sometimes they have seals come up!)