Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force
Home | Board of Directors | Bulletin | Projects | Area Served | Pertinent Facts | History | EDT | Salmon | Become a Member | Contact Us | Links | Volunteer
Broodstocking
Broodstocking is the foundation of many native stock revitalization efforts. With the arrival of the rains each fall adult salmon and Steelhead begin the migration back to their native rivers. Volunteers capture the returning salmon and Steelhead and transfer them to holding ponds or raceways at a hatchery facility where they remain until they are “ripe” or ready to spawn.
The men are pictured sorting females to see if the eggs are individually loose and no longer in a skein form. The ripe fish are put down and carefully handled to prevent the eggs from seeping out of the fish. If the eggs begin to seep out, the fish are placed upside down in the rack as shown. After sorting, an equal number of males are milked. The eggs are then carefully placed into a round five gallon bucket. After the bucket is 3/4 full it's sealed with a lid. Ovarian fluid, spleen, and kidney samples are also taken and sent to the WDFW lab in Olympia for testing.
The process of broodstocking greatly increases the survival rate of spawned eggs. When left to nature only about 20 percent of eggs spawned will survive and hatch. With broodstocking assistance up to 80 percent of spawned eggs survive. After hatching these young fry have a brief stay at the hatchery or rearing pond until they are large enough for release into their native rivers. The objective of this intensive volunteer effort is to dramatically increase the number of native fish returning to spawn in the coming years.
Native Broodstocking Projects performed in the Chehalis Basin:
 |
Chehalis Native Chinook Project: Capturing Chehalis Wild Chinook, sponsored by the Elma Game Club (temporarily suspended). |
|
Satsop Springs: Capturing wild Chinook and Chum on the East Fork Satsop River, sponsored by the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force. |
|
Long Live The Kings: Capturing wild Chinook on the Wishkah River, sponsored by Long Live The Kings. |
|
Satsop Steelhead: Capturing wild Steelhead on the Satsop River, administered by the Elma Game Club (temporarily suspended) |
|
Chehalis Steelhead: Capturing wild Chehalis Steelhead, sponsored by the Upper Chehalis Fisheries Enhancement Association. |