Nation and Fish Hatchery Collect Broodstock Chinook for Propagation

Staff and volunteers from the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation's Fisheries Division and Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery have been busy this fall collecting broodstock (adult Chinook salmon) from the Smith River at Ruby Van Deventer County Park.

"Propagating broodstock collected from the mainstem Smith River will allow the Nation and the hatchery to produce fish with genetic diversity more representative of the whole watershed," said Jennifer Jacobs, the Nation's Fisheries Manager.

Broodstock are adult fish collected from the wild and spawned in the hatchery to provide the facility with eggs that are hatched and reared for release the following year.

The collection team was assisted by staff from the Nation's Public Works and Facilities Division, along with partners from California Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Nation's Natural Resources and Harvesting Committee.

In October, staff deployed a 300-foot seine net, designed with 2-inch mesh to prevent fish entanglement and equipped with a lead and float line to keep the net upright in the river. The net was deployed by boat on the north riverbank and stretched across the channel, and then pulled upstream and back to the shore, encircling more than 100 fish. Divers and staff with small nets sorted through the fish, identifying each according to species and sex, and then checked for an adipose clip to determine whether the fish were of wild or hatchery origin. Fish selected for use as hatchery broodstock are transported by live-well trailer to Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery, where they are held until ready to spawn.

The public is encouraged to follow the progress and learn more via the Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Facebook page.