MIBowhunter
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Platte River hatchery loses half of state's coho salmon production
March 10, 2004
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources lost nearly half of this year's coho salmon production because of a pump failure at the Platte River Fish Hatchery near Beulah.
About 458,000 coho yearlings, which would have been stocked in state waters within a month, died last weekend when a pump that recirculates the water malfunctioned in a manner that did not trigger alarms.
The hatchery is undergoing an $8.5-million renovation. The yearling cohos that died were the first production cycle of the newly renovated raceways.
The DNR had hoped to raise 1.2 million coho this year, all but 25,000 for Lake Michigan. There are 610,000 fingerlings left at the hatchery, almost all of which will be stocked in the Platte River.
The accident should not affect fishing this year, a DNR official said.
"The anglers will feel this in 2005," acting fisheries director Jim Dexter said. "There will be a decline in the catch. (But) this should not have any effect on our egg-taking capabilities, which is of primary importance."
March 10, 2004
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources lost nearly half of this year's coho salmon production because of a pump failure at the Platte River Fish Hatchery near Beulah.
About 458,000 coho yearlings, which would have been stocked in state waters within a month, died last weekend when a pump that recirculates the water malfunctioned in a manner that did not trigger alarms.
The hatchery is undergoing an $8.5-million renovation. The yearling cohos that died were the first production cycle of the newly renovated raceways.
The DNR had hoped to raise 1.2 million coho this year, all but 25,000 for Lake Michigan. There are 610,000 fingerlings left at the hatchery, almost all of which will be stocked in the Platte River.
The accident should not affect fishing this year, a DNR official said.
"The anglers will feel this in 2005," acting fisheries director Jim Dexter said. "There will be a decline in the catch. (But) this should not have any effect on our egg-taking capabilities, which is of primary importance."
