Carlingford students become new salmon ambassadors

Pupils from Muchgrange National School and St Oliver’s National School, who took part in Loughs Agency’s popular Salmon Ambassador Programme, recently celebrated their achievements with a one-day ‘Salmon Ambassadors Conference’ held in Newry Conference Centre. 

The aim of the programme, which takes place annually, is to create an informed generation who value the importance of salmon and our shared environment. Each pupil that took part in the programme learned about the Atlantic salmon found in our local waterways and rivers, specifically Carlingford Lough, through a mixture of classroom, practical and field learning. Fish were brought directly into the classroom, allowing pupils to study the daily development of the eggs and development of the fish. 

The programme culminated in the Salmon Ambassadors Conference, in which participants from both schools came together and were rewarded for their efforts. Both schools were also given the opportunity to showcase exhibitions, developed by the students themselves and drawing from their experiences in the programme, before taking part in ‘Juanita’s Big Problem’, an interactive show highlighting the dangers of plastic pollution. 

The conference finished up with games, following a graduation ceremony in which pupils were presented with a certificate to mark their achievement. 

Speaking on the Salmon Ambassadors Conference, Loughs Agency Education Officer, Michael Cosgrove, commented: “It has been a pleasure to host the annual Salmon Ambassadors Programme in Carlingford.

"This year, we are more impressed than ever with the knowledge that the local children already had regarding our local rivers and everything that goes on in them. On behalf of Loughs Agency, I want to congratulate each pupil that graduated from the programme, and I look forward to them helping us to protect our local rivers as an official Salmon Ambassador.” 

As well as the 54 local students, a further 98 school pupils also took part in the Salmon Ambassadors Programme in Derry, focusing on Lough Foyle. To learn more about the work of Loughs Agency, visit www.loughs-agency.org