Yellow Fish

Location: Langley Street
Date photo taken: 4 September 2013

Yellow fish like this one can be found painted on curbs all over the city. They are a key component of a program called Yellow Fish Road developed by Trout Unlimited Canada in 1991 to raise awareness about water pollution entering local water systems through storm drains like these. Water entering street grates like these generally flows through a series of tunnels and then emptys directly into the lake (although Toronto has undertaken some interesting projects to help add some filtering steps). Unlike water from houses, it is not usually treated before entering the lake so it is important to realize that anything washed into it, like detergent from washing your car, or salt put on your sidewalk, is going to affect the ecosystem into which it ultimately flows.

The Yellow Fish Road program engages youth, educating them about the effects of storm water run-off and then enlisting them to paint the fish on curbs and distribute literature to nearby homes. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is a partner in this program. If you want to involve your school class or youth group in this activity, you can submit an application through the TRCA website. It also makes a great team building exercise for corporate groups.