The HPEI nursery is located in the same building and adjacent to the hatchery. Juveniles are 5 grams when they are transferred from the hatchery to the nursery where they remain for 1 year until they reach 200 grams after which they are transferred to a grow-out.

During the first 6 months in the nursery, the juveniles are held in shallow rectangular tanks. During this period, the water is heated at times to achieve more growth in the fish. The juveniles are fed regularly and the tanks are kept clean by the staff.

After the juveniles are in the nursery for 6 months, they are transferred to round deeper tanks in the nursery where they are held until they reach 200 grams.

200-gram juveniles are transferred to the HPEI grow-out in Victoria. 200-gram juveniles can also be shipped by land or air to other grow-outs in Canada or internationally.