CCAWashington has been working to change hatchery practices to ensure that more hatchery salmon carcasses and carcass by-products, food for the baby wild salmon, are being returned to the watersheds.
are an important food source for bald eagles, raccoons, coyotes, otters, hawks and countless other wildlife species. In fact, there are those who claim that the decline of the North American brown bear in the Pacific Northwest is attrib- utable, at least in part, to the decline of Pacific salmon populations.
IMPROVING HATCHERY PRACTICES
Ageneral lack of nutrients is further exacerbated in most Pacific Northwest Rivers due to current hatchery prac- tices. In a given year, suppose a river experiences a total return of 10,000 adults which is comprised of 9,000 hatchery salmon and 1,000 wild salmon. Most, if not all of these 9,000 hatchery salmon, will be collected at the hatchery facility where they will be processed. These carcasses will then be disposed of in any number of ways, and only a few of these 9,000 hatchery fish will be returned to the watershed to sustain the future generations of wild fish. These current hatchery prac- tices deprive our local watershed of valuable nutrients that contribute to the health of the aquatic ecosystem and inevitably decrease the survival of rear- ing wild juvenile salmon. There are numerous examples
throughout the Northwest where pop- ulations of wild spawning salmon would benefit greatly from increased nutrients. CCA Washington has been working to change hatchery practices to ensure that more hatchery salmon carcasses and carcass by-products, food for the baby wild salmon, are being returned to the watersheds. Without this effort many of the “excess” hatch- ery carcasses and carcass by-products
20
are transported to landfills, converted into garden fertilizer or utilized as a protein source for cat and dog food.
ENGAGING CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS
However, concerned citizens can make a difference. Various organiza- tions and programs across the North- west enable hundreds of volunteers to engage in a highly beneficial activity that is invaluable in the recovery and survival of our wild salmon. Com- monly referred to as “fish flings,” volun- teers make their way to a hatchery, gath- er up excess salmon carcasses, take them to various access points on the river and fling them back into the river. In 2010, between October and December, the CCA Southwest Wash- ington Chapter sent volunteers to help with half a dozen “fish fling” events. In total, the local CCA chapter provided around 300 hours of labor dispersing thousands of carcasses which will in turn feed thousands of naturally pro- duced salmon juveniles that would otherwise not receive this important food source. Not to mention the bene- fits to tress, plants, bugs and other wildlife.
The local CCA chapter has been for- tunate to work with a local habitat restoration organization, the Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group (LCFEG). Since 1998 LCFEG has been coordinating nutrient enhancement volunteer efforts in Southwest Wash- ington. Each nutrient enhancement sea- son LCFEG invests time, money and equipment so local volunteer groups can successfully and efficiently dis- perse thousands of salmon carcasses into the local watersheds. During the last 10 years, LCFEG has recorded more than 20,000 donated volunteer hours and assisted in the dispersal of approximately 500,000 salmon carcass- es. As stated by CCA member Steve Koch, “Nutrient enhancement is a great way to get involved, have fun and most importantly help the resource.” There may be no better way to reach the general public and increase their knowledge on the importance of salmon in the aquatic ecosystem, and complete the circle of life that is so vital to the survival of our salmon runs.
Nello Picinich is the assistant director for CCAWashington.
www.joincca.org
CARCASS ANALOGS
LOWER COLUMBIA FISH ENHANCEMENT GROUP A
CARCASS ANALOG is a fish food pellet, about the size of your thumbnail, which is made from marine derived nutrients. They were designed to provide an alternate means for returning those much needed nutrients into our watersheds. Analogs are designed to break down over a period of time (days to weeks) providing a directly con- sumable food source for juvenile salmon and aquatic invertebrates. While scientific studies have shown the benefits of carcass analogs, they are expensive to produce and because demand is low, there are only a handful of manufacturers on the West Coast.
While hatchery carcasses may be
more economical in terms of provid- ing an easy source of nutrients, car- cass analogs do provide certain advantages. Analogs are more easily transportable, can be held in dry storage and are generally easier to disseminate into salmon bearing streams. Analogs are also pathogen free and can be distributed to any watershed.
CHIPPING SALMON T
HE LOWER COLUMBIA Fish Enhancement Group utilizes wood chippers to grind up frozen salmon. These salmon are collected in the fall, flash frozen, stored in freez- ers, and in the spring sent through wood chippers and “sprayed” back into the local creeks and rivers. These salmon chunks are directly consum- able by the out-migrating salmon smolts.
For many young salmon, this additional food source gives them the added strength they need to make the journey to the Pacific Ocean.
— Picinich TIDE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64