Storm Drain Marking Program
Guest contribution by Linda Kwan & Nicole Montgomery
"The artist is the person who invents the means to bridge between biological inheritance and the environments created by technological innovation" (Marshall McLuhan Canadian communications theorist). The yellow fish you may have seen painted beside storm drains are one example of an artist creating just such a bridge.
These yellow fish are the symbol of the Storm Drain Marking Program, which began in the early 1980's as the brainchild of Joe Kambeitz, a Community Advisor with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The program was intended to create a year round activity for volunteers participating in habitat protection work. These activities, such as cleaning garbage from creeks and streams, were only feasible for two months of the year; however, eager volunteers wanted to embrace the responsibility of protecting the salmon and their habitat year round. Storm drain marking provided such an opportunity. Using his skills as a graphic artist, Joe developed a simple image that can be reproduced year round beside storm drains to educate about an important source of pollution impacting streams.
Pamphlets which reproduce this image are distributed in areas where the yellow fish had been painted. They explain that toxic substances such as fertilizers, motor oil, paint, and anti-freeze entering storm drains will eventually flow directly into streams, where they are a major source of pollution and can harm fish and other organisms living in our streams.
From its humble beginnings, storm drain marking evolved into a community educational initiative that empowered school children, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, and community groups to care for their environment. The simplicity of the project has made it accessible to people of all ages. All that is required is a small broom to clean the road surface, a stencil, latex paint, a paint brush, and the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
The yellow fish have become a highly recognizable symbol across the Lower Mainland since the inception of the storm drain marking program more than 20 years ago. They have heightened the public's awareness of the importance of protecting our waterways and the message is reinforced each time they see the yellow fish. Groups interested in participating in this environmentally beneficial program in the Lower Mainland should contact Bev Bowler, an Education Coordinator with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, at 604-980-7602. All the equipment and supplies needed to carry out a storm drain marking project are provided by Fisheries and Oceans free of charge.
For more informaiton please visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/brochures/fishkill.html
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