Fourth-grade students from the 11th Elementary School in Most took part in the fall stocking of the Bílina River. As part of a joint initiative by the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation and local anglers, the children helped release nearly 800 kilograms of fish and, whilst by the river, learnt why regular care for the aquatic environment is important. The ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation has been organising the traditional restocking of the River Bílina since 2010. During that time, more than 13 and a half tonnes of various species of fish have been released.
The autumn gathering by the Bílina River combined practical help for nature with learning outside the classroom. The fishermen introduced the children to life in the river, explained the purpose of restocking and demonstrated how to handle the fish safely during release. The pupils then tried out the whole process for themselves.
“Events like this give children the opportunity to experience nature at first hand and understand that looking after it is important. Not only do they learn how a river ecosystem works, but they also get to lend a hand themselves. We believe that it is precisely this personal experience that will foster a responsible attitude towards the environment in which they are growing up,” said Lucie Pražáková, director of the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation.
All the children present took part in the autumn restocking. Together with the fishermen, they released almost 800 kilograms of fish into the Bílina. “This time, we released carp, pike, tench, bream, perch, roach, rudd, and also a few eels into the river. These are our native fish species, which belong in the river. What’s more, for the children, encountering the fish and experiencing the whole restocking process is an experience they cannot gain in the classroom, and we believe that, thanks in part to releasing their own little fish, they will treat the river as the Bílina deserves,” added Jan Skalský, spokesperson for the North Bohemian Angling Association.
Regular fish stocking helps to keep the Bílina diverse and teeming with life. For children from the region, it is also an opportunity to get to know nature up close. During the event, they learnt more about fish, the importance of water for life, and how everyone can contribute to looking after the river and its surroundings.
The collaboration between the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation and local anglers in restocking the Bílina River has been ongoing since 2010. The event takes place twice a year, and primary schools from the region have been involved in it on a long-term basis. Since 2025, the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation has also been supporting the activities of local fishermen with an annual contribution of 150,000 crowns, which helps to fund the care of aquatic ecosystems and life in the river.
ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation
The ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation launched its activities in 2017. Its primary mission is to support education and popularise science, primarily natural sciences and technical disciplines, as well as corporate social responsibility, emphasising local communities and the environment. The Foundation has long been engaged in supporting schools, teachers, and students with grant programmes. The educational project, ‚Plastík a jeho kouzelný kufřík‘, provides schoolchildren from the first to the fifth grade with an excursion into the world of chemistry through entertaining experiments. Educational support and the associated Foundation’s activities gave rise to many educational materials and outputs in the form of tutorials available at
www.nouonline.cz. Beginning in 2024, the Foundation is also committed to corporate social responsibility related to the environment, support of local communities, and volunteering. Such activities include championing volunteer and community projects, fundraising, fish releases into rivers, nesting of endangered peregrine falcons, and beekeeping. The Foundation cooperates with many non-profit organisations on a long-term basis but also reacts to current events in society and emergencies. More information about the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation’s mission and other activities is available at
www.nadaceorlenunipetrol.cz.
Contact details:
Lucie Pražáková, director of the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation
Telephone: +420 736 506 939