Follow the yellow fish road

Story and photos submitted.

Have you seen yellow fish in your neighbourhood? Trout Unlimited Canada's Yellow Fish Road program is painting the town yellow! The Yellow Fish Road program is a nation-wide storm drain marking program. The 30th North Bay Girl Guides were painting yellow fish in the Lake Heights Rd. area Tuesday.

Urban stormwater pollution is the biggest source of pollutants in rivers, streams and lakes. Storm drains are the grates found next to the curb and collect runoff water from the street. In most municipalities, storm drains empty directly into local waterbodies, untreated. Especially during snowmelt and springtime rains, litter, sediments and chemicals can end up in the local waterbody though the storm drain system. Yellow Fish Roadâ„¢ participants paint yellow fish next to storm drains and distribute fish shaped brochures to nearby households to let residents know why the yellow fish have appeared.

"The yellow fish serve as a reminder for residents to properly dispose of any hazardous household chemicals, like used motor oil, and to use environmentally-friendly alternatives such as compost in your garden, which won't wash away easily with rain," explains Anna Lee-Carswell, Yellow Fish Road Program Director. "Even washing your car in the driveway with soap can impact the local waterbody."

The Guides would like to thank all those who generously donated time and materials to their program, including the City of North Bay who loaned safety vests and pylons, and Home Depot who donated paint.

To get involved with the Yellow Fish Roadâ„¢ program, contact Trout Unlimited Canada at (403) 221-8360 or visit: www.yellowfishroad.org.