10-15-2004, 09:44 AM
[font "Times New Roman"]DEP Announces Experimental Atlantic Salmon Stocking[/font] [center][font "Times New Roman"]Spawning Salmon Stocked into Four Rivers [/font][/center]
[font "Times New Roman"]Anglers Urged to Take Notice[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will initiate the stocking of pre-spawn Atlantic salmon into four Connecticut River tributaries this week. This action is being undertaken in response to program consolidations recently announced by the Region 5 office of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in order to avoid deficit spending. Each year the DEP stocks approximately 1.5 million salmon fry (young salmon) as part of an effort to restore Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River watershed. The program changes being implemented by the USFWS will result in a 50% reduction in the number of fry (750,000) available for stocking in Connecticut unless other funding sources are identified. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]“Our salmon hatchery in Kensington is scheduled to produce approximately 3.4 million salmon eggs over the next few weeks and our facilities are only capable of holding 2.1 million,” said Edward C. Parker, Chief of the DEP Bureau of Natural Resources. In previous years, the remaining eggs were shipped to a federal hatchery that would rear them and provide fry back to the State of Connecticut for stocking.“Without incubating and rearing assistance from the USFWS we are forced to try other means of using these eggs to further the restoration effort,” said Parker. In addition to releasing ripe salmon into selected rivers where they can spawn, the DEP is also considering burying eggs into stream gravel. “Releasing the salmon and allowing them to spawn on their own is the quickest and most efficient way to go,” said Parker. “Survival in a modern fish hatchery is certainly much higher than what we expect to see in the wild; however, the release of pre-spawn fish will enable us to gain information on the potential of natural spawning in Connecticut streams,” added Parker. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Salmon River (Colchester – Haddam), Jeremy River (Hebron – Colchester), Blackledge River (Hebron – Marlborough) and Eightmile River (East Haddam – Lyme) have been selected for this experimental stocking. A total of 48 fish will be released into the Salmon, Blackledge and Jeremy Rivers, and 12 will be released into the Eightmile River. Stocking is scheduled this week. The salmon weigh about 10 lbs each and are likely to be observed by anglers and other people who frequent these areas. Spawning will take place over the next couple of weeks after which they are expected to move downstream to the mainstem Connecticut River and out to sea. “Biologists from the DEP will return to these waters in subsequent weeks to identify areas where spawning took place and will return again next summer to evaluate spawning success and survival,” said Bill Hyatt, Director of the DEP Inland Fisheries Division. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]“Anglers will undoubtedly notice these fish and are reminded that it is illegal to harvest any salmon from waters within the Connecticut River watershed including the Salmon River, Jeremy River, Blackledge River and Eightmile River,” said Hyatt.Anglers should be aware that the DEP is also in the process of stocking salmon into the Shetucket River and the Naugatuck River for the purpose of providing sport fishing. The fish stocked into these waters are either barren (without eggs) or surplus broodstock that have already spawned and are no longer needed in the salmon restoration effort. “Anglers wishing to fish for salmon should direct their efforts to the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers,” said Hyatt. Angling for broodstock Atlantic salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers is restricted to catch-and-release only through November 30. The daily creel limit is zero and all Atlantic salmon must be immediately returned, without avoidable injury, to the waters from which taken. From December 1, 2004, through March 31, 2005, the daily creel limit for Atlantic salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers is one. The legal method for taking Atlantic salmon is limited to angling using a single fly, or an artificial lure with a single free-swinging hook. [/font] [center][font "Times New Roman"][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/pressrel.htm"]Press Releases[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/news.htm"]News[/url][/font][/center][font "Times New Roman"] [font "Arial"][size 2][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/index.htm"]Home[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/aboutdep/contact/contact.htm"]Contact Us[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/search2.htm"]Search[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/survey/survey.htm"]Feedback[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/legal.htm"]Website Legal Info[/url][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Send comments or questions regarding this site to[/size][#800000][size 2] [url "mailto:dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us"]dep.webmaster@po.state.ct[/url][/size][/#800000][/font][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"]Anglers Urged to Take Notice[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will initiate the stocking of pre-spawn Atlantic salmon into four Connecticut River tributaries this week. This action is being undertaken in response to program consolidations recently announced by the Region 5 office of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in order to avoid deficit spending. Each year the DEP stocks approximately 1.5 million salmon fry (young salmon) as part of an effort to restore Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River watershed. The program changes being implemented by the USFWS will result in a 50% reduction in the number of fry (750,000) available for stocking in Connecticut unless other funding sources are identified. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]“Our salmon hatchery in Kensington is scheduled to produce approximately 3.4 million salmon eggs over the next few weeks and our facilities are only capable of holding 2.1 million,” said Edward C. Parker, Chief of the DEP Bureau of Natural Resources. In previous years, the remaining eggs were shipped to a federal hatchery that would rear them and provide fry back to the State of Connecticut for stocking.“Without incubating and rearing assistance from the USFWS we are forced to try other means of using these eggs to further the restoration effort,” said Parker. In addition to releasing ripe salmon into selected rivers where they can spawn, the DEP is also considering burying eggs into stream gravel. “Releasing the salmon and allowing them to spawn on their own is the quickest and most efficient way to go,” said Parker. “Survival in a modern fish hatchery is certainly much higher than what we expect to see in the wild; however, the release of pre-spawn fish will enable us to gain information on the potential of natural spawning in Connecticut streams,” added Parker. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Salmon River (Colchester – Haddam), Jeremy River (Hebron – Colchester), Blackledge River (Hebron – Marlborough) and Eightmile River (East Haddam – Lyme) have been selected for this experimental stocking. A total of 48 fish will be released into the Salmon, Blackledge and Jeremy Rivers, and 12 will be released into the Eightmile River. Stocking is scheduled this week. The salmon weigh about 10 lbs each and are likely to be observed by anglers and other people who frequent these areas. Spawning will take place over the next couple of weeks after which they are expected to move downstream to the mainstem Connecticut River and out to sea. “Biologists from the DEP will return to these waters in subsequent weeks to identify areas where spawning took place and will return again next summer to evaluate spawning success and survival,” said Bill Hyatt, Director of the DEP Inland Fisheries Division. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]“Anglers will undoubtedly notice these fish and are reminded that it is illegal to harvest any salmon from waters within the Connecticut River watershed including the Salmon River, Jeremy River, Blackledge River and Eightmile River,” said Hyatt.Anglers should be aware that the DEP is also in the process of stocking salmon into the Shetucket River and the Naugatuck River for the purpose of providing sport fishing. The fish stocked into these waters are either barren (without eggs) or surplus broodstock that have already spawned and are no longer needed in the salmon restoration effort. “Anglers wishing to fish for salmon should direct their efforts to the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers,” said Hyatt. Angling for broodstock Atlantic salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers is restricted to catch-and-release only through November 30. The daily creel limit is zero and all Atlantic salmon must be immediately returned, without avoidable injury, to the waters from which taken. From December 1, 2004, through March 31, 2005, the daily creel limit for Atlantic salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers is one. The legal method for taking Atlantic salmon is limited to angling using a single fly, or an artificial lure with a single free-swinging hook. [/font] [center][font "Times New Roman"][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/pressrel.htm"]Press Releases[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/news.htm"]News[/url][/font][/center][font "Times New Roman"] [font "Arial"][size 2][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/index.htm"]Home[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/aboutdep/contact/contact.htm"]Contact Us[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/search2.htm"]Search[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/survey/survey.htm"]Feedback[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/legal.htm"]Website Legal Info[/url][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Send comments or questions regarding this site to[/size][#800000][size 2] [url "mailto:dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us"]dep.webmaster@po.state.ct[/url][/size][/#800000][/font][/font]
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