The third annual "Small Fry Festival" has taken place in west Cork and Kerry. The idea was developed by the Coomhola Salmon trust of Pantry and is a wonderful example of how young people can be made aware of nature and the need for conservation.years, national school students in Cork and Kerry have been hatching salmon ova in the classrooms building three-dimensional models of their local catchments, and taking field trips to rivers and streams to learn how they can make a difference once they understand the workings of the natural environment. The River Awareness Course, culminates. according to Mr Mark Boyden of the trust, in participating schools joining together for the annual festival during which the students, their teachers, parents, and representatives of the wider community, participate in releasing into the wild juvenile native salmon. He added: "Last Thursday saw the third annual 'Small Fry Festival' convene in a carnival atmosphere at Inch near Bantry. Mr Michael Moriarty, environmental officer with Cork co Council, opening the festival, praised the Initiative and announced that the council will be joining forces with the Coomhola Salmon Trust next year to bring the River Awareness Course to a wider audience."
Mr Justin McCarthy, education officer with the trust, told The Irish Times the project was aimed at exciting students and their parents about local rivers and at stimulating communities to consider how such amenities could be further developed. He continued: "The releasing of fish at the festival bonds people to their river. When these children look over a bridge now and spot a fish, they will always wonder if it was the one they released."