Peter Gray Hatchery Update
March 2018
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Hatchery Update
March flew by! Here at the
Peter Gray Hatchery
it was filled with Nor'easters full of snow, hatchery expansion work, egg picking, meetings, and preparations for the 2018 rearing and field seasons for the
Peter Gray Parr Project
.
On March 6th we had our biannual meeting with Project partners like: Maine Department of Marine Resources, NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Project SHARE, and Maine Department of Environmental Protection. These meetings occur to discuss the findings of the
Peter Gray Parr Project
and utilizing adaptive management move the Project forward.
The following are some quick take home messages from the meeting:
- 211,559 fall parr stocked in 2017
- Over 883,000 fall parr have been stocked since the start of the Peter Gray Parr Project
- 2017 smolt (juvenile salmon heading to the Atlantic Ocean) population estimate was just shy of 1,700 fish - the highest smolt population estimate to date, in the Peter Gray Parr Project
- 76% of the East Machias River's hatchery smolt component are older age class fish (p20s and p32s - parr that have spent 20 months and 32 months in the river). This is important because the older age class smolts return from sea as adults at a higher rate than hatchery fish that leave after 8 months in the river (p8s).
- 2017 total smolt production in the East Machias River was 0.89 smolt per unit of habitat stocked. This is the highest smolt production seen to date and more than twice the production seen on nearby rivers.
- Fall parr stocking from the Peter Gray Hatchery outperforms all other stocking strategies in B width class streams (6-12 meters wide) of the East Machias River. Other stocking strategies include natural spawning, unfed fry, and fed fry.
- The decadal median for large parr densities in the East Machias River are similar to the decadal medians seen in the 1970s. A couple more years of positive population data could show the greatest increase in large parr densities over any 6 year time span in the East Machias River.
- The median density of large parr during the Project is 10.5 parr per unit of habitat. The median large parr density during unfed fry stocking was 4.9 parr per unit of habitat. That's a 114% increase and in some years we have seen large parr densities at 14.9 parr/unit (a 204% increase over unfed fry stocking and the highest densities since 1984).
- The smolt to adult return rate for the East Machias River in 2017 was 3.4%. In comparison, the nearby Narraguagus River (that has 3 times the amount of salmon habitat) was 1.7%.
There are some very positive tidbits in there and plenty to look forward to as we enter another year of rearing and data collection!
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Hatchery Expansion
As spring approaches, so does the completion of the hatchery expansion. There are still many projects to accomplish to get it ready to host endangered Atlantic salmon, but the train is rollin'! Audrey Hepburn put it this way -- "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!"
The pictures to the left show the progression of the head tank construction. Also, the drywall is up, the plastic covering for the walls has been installed, windows have been trimmed out, wiring and lighting is up, and the cedar shingles are going on the exterior! Thank you to all of the individuals and companies making this happen. Thank you also to EBS (of Machias) for helping us stage our tanks to go into the expansion (see pic above).
As I've mentioned in previous reports, this expansion will allow the salmon growing in the
Peter Gray Hatchery
to be spread out into more tanks. We will be going from having 10 tanks on station to 25 tanks! Decreasing the densities in each tank will help lower the stress of the salmon and give them an even better environment to develop into the "little athletes" that will survive in the East Machias River, and later, the Atlantic Ocean. Lean, mean swimming machines!
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Thomas & Thomas Fly Rod Purchase Supports the Peter Gray Parr Project
There are a few different ways to help save wild American Atlantic salmon. One way is to purchase a Thomas & Thomas fly rod--for yourself or as a gift for someone special!
With two-handed rods seeming ubiquitous on many famous salmon and steelhead rivers, at times it seems as though single-hander’s have been forgotten. That’s not the case at T&T. The “Salmon and Steelhead Special” rods are designed to offer salmon and steelhead anglers the ultimate balance of sensitivity and fish fighting prowess. These rods are deadly accurate for dry fly work and still perfectly capable of lifting a long line off the water as you step and swing flies through the pool.
The medium fast action facilitates smooth, controlled casts, even with highly wind resistant flies. Strength in the lower sections of the rod enables good hook setting and provides the power to battle these magnificent migratory fish.
To purchase this or another gift, or to donate to this effort to restore Atlantic salmon, please visit
www.wildatlanticsalmon.org
.
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If you would like to support DSF, please consider buying some DSF swag! Hats, vests, and shirts can be found
HERE.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to reach out to me at zach@mainesalmonrivers.org. I hope this hatchery update finds you well and you enjoyed reading about the
Peter Gray Parr Project
. Thank you for all you have done, and continue to do, in the pursuit of Atlantic salmon restoration!
Hope to see you all at DSF's annual
smelt fry
on April 21st in Columbia Falls, Maine.
Kind Regards,
Zach Sheller
Hatchery Manager
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There is a short Parr Project video on our website
HERE.
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DONATE TODAY!
If you believe in the importance of restoring Atlantic salmon to our U.S. rivers, then please consider making a gift to the Peter Gray Parr Project. We will be continuing our work to restore salmon to Downeast Maine and would appreciate your help! Click
HERE
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Leave a Legacy by
Making a Planned Gift to DSF
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A planned gift to Downeast Salmon Federation is a wonderful way to contribute to the health of our rivers and fisheries for future generations while also meeting your financial goals. You can create a legacy gift that will help DSF continue to improve river ecology, restore Atlantic salmon populations, increase fish passage, run educational programs, and much more. Click on the link below for more information about planned giving.
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Wild Atlantic salmon numbers in the U.S. have been at a record low, but DSF is working to bring them back. Please support our work by
becoming a member
of the Downeast Salmon Federation. Together, we can restore sea-run fisheries in Maine.
Downeast Salmon Federation
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www.wildatlanticsalmon.org
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