PECI students dive into engineering aquatic equipment for conservation efforts

PECI Manufacturing Technology students with the three Windermere Traps they created for use by Quinte Conservation.

Quinte Conservation’s Aquatic Sciences department is ready to deploy three high-quality ‘Windermere Traps’ into the Bay of Quinte thanks to students from Prince Edward Collegiate Institute in Picton.

The collaborative effort through the school’s manufacturing technology program offered a new kind of challenge for students Sawyer, Donald, Dustin, and Riley who successfully reverse-engineered and built devices that allow for the collection of data on this region’s fish communities.

This one-of-a-kind project provided students with hands-on experience and the chance to apply technical skills beyond the standard curriculum.

“This was an excellent example of how classroom learning can extend beyond the school walls,” said Aaron Gray, instructor of the program. “Students were able to apply problem-solving, collaboration, and technical skills to a real-world design challenge – one that has a direct impact on environmental conservation efforts in our region.”

Mary Gunning, Aquatic Science Manager at Quinte Conservation said the authority is grateful to the students and staff at PECI.

“We supplied them with an example of what we were looking for, and they successfully recreated it. Their efforts will help us continue important aquatic research, despite equipment shortages, and highlights the power of community partnerships in advancing environmental science.”

Quinte Conservation uses the Windermere traps as part of its fish community monitoring surveys to assess ecosystem health of the Bay of Quinte and its habitats by evaluating fish populations, and to guide management and habitat restoration efforts.

The Windermere traps are a passive and non-destructive monitoring tool, well-suited for capturing bottom dwelling fish species like Brown Bullhead (Ameriurus nebulosus), and other nearshore fish such as sunfish species (family Centrarchidae) or Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens). They are deployed in shallow water for 24 hours and checked each day for four days. The weights, length and health of the fish are recorded and then they are released.

“This is the first time we’ve had an opportunity to work with a local school on a project of this level, and we welcome any future opportunities that allow students to share in our passion of environmental protection,” Gunning adds.

Quinte Conservation is a community-based environmental protection agency that serves 18 municipalities in the watersheds of the Moira, Napanee and Salmon Rivers, and Prince Edward County.