Record rainfall proves too much, even for fish
Story Published: Nov 21, 2006 at 7:02 PM PST
Story Updated: Nov 21, 2006 at 8:19 PM PST
ORTING, Wash. - Fishery workers are scrambling to keep fish and fish eggs alive, as the record rainfall stirs up silt in muddied rivers.
Workers at the Voights Creek hatchery in Orting have been battling silt for a week.
"Basically what the silt does, it smothers the eggs," one worker said. The incubator for coho and chinook eggs is one victim of a creek over its banks.
All the white eggs, about five percent of the total have already died. To keep the rest alive, fisheries workers unscrewed a plug and rod device and pumped out as much silt as they can.
Brodie Antipa of the Fish and Wildlife Department said workers will face a bigger problem once the eggs hatch.
"When they are hatched out, and they become fry we've got to constantly keep them clean. every hour you've got to go through and remove a layer of sediment," Antipa said.
At the fishery's coho rearing pond, one worker has been using a hose to suck mud.
15,000 fish ready to spawn returned to the adult pond. 5,000 got away when the water rose. Others are trapped and will die before spawning. The good news: workers were able to collect enough eggs and the hatchery will survive.
The rivers are another story. The wild, endangered chinook salmon have already spawned and their eggs may have been ripped away from the gravel by the high waters.
That could seriously impact fishing four years from now when this run of salmon is scheduled to return.
The State Fish and Wildlife Department said hatchery damage in thirteen counties is at least $1 million. The damage to the wild runs will not be known until rivers recede or possibly until the 2006 crop returns in 2010.
http://www.komotv.com/news/4715961.html
Story Published: Nov 21, 2006 at 7:02 PM PST
Story Updated: Nov 21, 2006 at 8:19 PM PST
ORTING, Wash. - Fishery workers are scrambling to keep fish and fish eggs alive, as the record rainfall stirs up silt in muddied rivers.
Workers at the Voights Creek hatchery in Orting have been battling silt for a week.
"Basically what the silt does, it smothers the eggs," one worker said. The incubator for coho and chinook eggs is one victim of a creek over its banks.
All the white eggs, about five percent of the total have already died. To keep the rest alive, fisheries workers unscrewed a plug and rod device and pumped out as much silt as they can.
Brodie Antipa of the Fish and Wildlife Department said workers will face a bigger problem once the eggs hatch.
"When they are hatched out, and they become fry we've got to constantly keep them clean. every hour you've got to go through and remove a layer of sediment," Antipa said.
At the fishery's coho rearing pond, one worker has been using a hose to suck mud.
15,000 fish ready to spawn returned to the adult pond. 5,000 got away when the water rose. Others are trapped and will die before spawning. The good news: workers were able to collect enough eggs and the hatchery will survive.
The rivers are another story. The wild, endangered chinook salmon have already spawned and their eggs may have been ripped away from the gravel by the high waters.
That could seriously impact fishing four years from now when this run of salmon is scheduled to return.
The State Fish and Wildlife Department said hatchery damage in thirteen counties is at least $1 million. The damage to the wild runs will not be known until rivers recede or possibly until the 2006 crop returns in 2010.
http://www.komotv.com/news/4715961.html
