03-26-2010, 03:36 AM
Salmon River hatchery steelhead are genetically inferior on several levels. As the steelhead kid stated, they have no survival of the fittest testing as eggs, parr and smolt, like wild fish do, but they started as genetically inferior fish in the first place. In the 1960s and 1970s the IDF&G bought their eggs (fertilized) from the California F&G. They are McCloud River stock fish, which have a significantly higher survival rate in cement ponds than native Idaho Stock fish. This resulted in anywhere from 25 to 30% fiscal savings. These fish and the progeny of these fish are the result of millenia of genetic grooming to be great sprinters. Their average run consisted of less than a 200 miles. Compared to Idaho's native stocks that often make a 700+ mile jaunt, it is nothing. The good news, many more smolt released, the bad news, the adults were dropping like flies in the lower Snake. These genetics are still present in some of our hatcher descentents. I could go on for hours...
In short, kill all the hatcery fish you want, just don't bust your limits. Every fish you bonk helps our wild fish. The hatchery fish that do spawn in the wild have a very low survival rate, but some do survive, and they further dilute the gene pool of our native fish. fishcopalien, could you shoot me a PM with the studies that show 0% survival, including where they took place? I'd like to compare them to some work I participated in here in Idaho a few years ago...
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In short, kill all the hatcery fish you want, just don't bust your limits. Every fish you bonk helps our wild fish. The hatchery fish that do spawn in the wild have a very low survival rate, but some do survive, and they further dilute the gene pool of our native fish. fishcopalien, could you shoot me a PM with the studies that show 0% survival, including where they took place? I'd like to compare them to some work I participated in here in Idaho a few years ago...
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