Releasing the Fry

Today I attended the release of 350,000 Pink Salmon fry from a net pen in Deep Bay. The fry had been raised for a period of time at the Nile Creek hatchery and then transported in buckets to the pen in Deep Bay. They seem to thrive in the pen, gaining size and weight and the release into a harbour gives them a better chance than being released into the creek. I asked if they would return to Deep Bay to spawn and was told that probably some would but that they had been imprinted with the water from the Nile Creek so most would return there.
How amazing is that?

Below, the fry in the pen and the lowering of one side of the pen so they could swim away into the bay and then out to sea. See y'all in 2 years...maybe on my plate! Yum!