Central Region CAEP: Salmonids in the Classroom

1. Participate in a Teacher Training
   • New Teachers start participating in the program by attending a training. The trainings are required and are offered annually in the fall. Equipment, if it is available, will be lent to you. Many teachers obtain grant money or funding through other sources for the equipment needed.
   • Returning Teachers who need a recertification, including teachers returning to the program after a 3-year hiatus, or anyone interested in a refresher, should also sign up for training before applying for eggs.
2. Apply for Eggs
   • All teachers will need to apply for eggs using the online application by December 1st, 2025.
   • The 2025-26 application will open in Fall 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Gail.Davis@wildlife.ca.gov

This program can't exist without you!

Both short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities are available. Help is needed in a variety of ways. These include delivering eggs or equipment to classrooms, providing mechanical assistance for the equipment, classroom presentations, and assisting with field trips.

Interested in volunteering for Region 4's Classroom Aquarium Education Program? Please reach out to Gail.Davis@wildlife.ca.gov

We need your support!

Many organizations donate their time and/or their resources. These resources may be a pickup truck for transporting aquarium chillers or storage space for equipment that can be borrowed by teachers. Support for the program is also given as funding for equipment and other educational resources.

If your organization is interesting in supporting CAEP in Region 4, please contact Gail.Davis@wildlife.ca.gov

Thank you!

• New teachers should sign up for a new teacher training before applying for eggs. These trainings give teachers the tools they need to hatch salmon or trout in their classrooms and then release the fish into the wild. The goal of this program is for the students to learn to be stewards of the watersheds in which they live. Visit the links above to sign up for a new teacher training.
• Workshops are offered annually in the fall. If workshop dates have already passed for the current school year, keep an eye on our web page for next year’s training dates.

• Returning teachers who have participated within the last 3 years should apply for eggs once the online application is live. Active teachers are not required to retake the teacher training, but are welcome to participate to refresh their knowledge.
• If it has been more than 3 years since you last participated in the program, you will need to be recertified before applying for eggs. Please sign up for a new teacher training before filling out this year’s application for eggs. Visit the links above to sign up for a new teacher training.

Yes! Since the Classroom Aquarium Education Program varies between regions, it is highly recommended that teachers entering Region 4’s program participate in a Region 4 teacher training. Please reach out to Gail.Davis@wildlife.ca.gov if you would like to discuss your situation.

Yes! All teachers must be individually certified in order to receive an aquarium and eggs. Certifications are not transferrable. Please sign up for a new teacher training in order to participate this year.

The type of eggs received will vary by area. You will learn which species is available for your area during your teacher training.

Teachers should plan to purchase their own equipment (aquarium, filters, chillers, etc.) which can cost up to $500 or more depending on the type you purchase. A detailed list of the equipment needed for this program will be provided during the teacher training.

Often, teachers are able to offset these costs with mini-grants, parent clubs, or other funding sources available through your district. Reach out to your school’s administration for funding support to help cover the cost of equipment.

There may be equipment available to be lent out to teachers. Please contact Gail.Davis@wildlife.ca.gov to inquire about borrowing equipment after you have completed the training.

• Teacher trainings are offered in the fall. Applications for eggs are due by December 1st of each year.
• Teachers should expect to have eggs in their classrooms for 6-8 weeks before release.
• Salmon eggs arrive in January and are typically released in March
• Trout eggs arrive in February and are typically released in April
• Exact dates will vary each year based on spawning season, egg availability, and environmental conditions. Your coordinator will communicate the egg delivery date as soon as this information becomes available from the hatchery.
• Teachers will need to set up their aquarium at least 2 weeks before receiving eggs, in order to set the temperature and work out any issues before egg delivery date. For salmon, it is good practice to set up your tank before leaving on winter break. For trout, it is good practice to set up your tank in mid-January.
• Teachers are required to submit a release summary form within 2 weeks of releasing fry. If your eggs/fish die before release, teachers must submit the release summary form within 2 weeks of the last fish dying.