Landlocked Salmon

-- (-)1". Al Ye, a LANDLOCKED SALMON 5TATE OF NEW' YORK - di) N 5 E. RV AT I 0 ti DEPARTMENT STATE OF NEW YORK CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Perry B. Duryea, Commissioner J. Victor Skiff, Dep. Com. Robt.A. Wells, Secy. This is the second of a series of progress reports from Fish and Game researchers and field men, Present- ing important findings from their day to day work. Through these bulletins, the Conservation Department is Providing an opportunity for all Persons interested in our wildlife to be fully and promptly informed on the latest developments in fish and game management. AN INFORMATION SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME J.T. Mahoney, Director Win. C. Senning, Asst. Dir. FOREWORD New York anglers have enjoyed comparatively little good fishing for landlocked salmon. Fewlakes have any of these highly-prized game fish, which are too few and far between in the lakes where they do exist. This situation should be changed if it is possible to do so for many lakes appear to be well-suited to produce landlocks. Success will depend upon finding out how to build up this resource and upon facilities with which to work. This was recognized at the start of an intensive salmon project begun in 1944. At the beginning, the outlook was far from bright. Today it's apparent that the turning point has been reached. Already the supply of salmon has been materially increased in the waters concerned. The 1948 yield of spawn, vital to any enlarged fish cultural operation, was over 35 quarts (over 150,000 eggs) and a progress- ive increase each year is in sight. The report which follows is to be considered as a progress report on an undertaking which is as yet far from complete. The final answer as to how far this project can go cannot now be written. It will take some years to build uP landlocked salmon fishing to the ultimate capacity of our extensive lakes. From what has been learned already about effective methods of management, together with progress made toward improving facilities with which to work, there is every reason to expect that the chances of New York anglers to hook a salmon will grow brighter each year. Commissioner Jour Yeari o tandlocked Salmon Study The Atlantic salmon is readily dis- tinguished by ichthyologists from other species such as the Pacific group. The landlocked salmon has variously been regarded either as a subspecies of or as indistinguishable from the Atlantic species. If there are actually differences between salmon which are permanently resident in fresh waters (i.e., landlocked), it would be desirable to know this, espe- cially to find out what strains or blood lines are of greatest practical value for New York lakes. Eventually, perhaps, salmon from various loca- tions can be thoroughly tested against The Objective each other but for our present pur- poses a landlocked salmon may be defined as any permanently fresh-water Atlantic salmon whether it results from many generations of fresh-water residence or not. Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain were originally inhabited by salmon. Comparatively early in the history of New York fish culture, attempts to establish these fish in various inland lakes were made. These efforts, not to be confused with stocking of "salmon trout" (lake trout), were attended with varying success. There were many failures and the successful estab- lishments of breeding landlocked salmon populations were of very limited scope. Crver a long period of years salmon eggs were collected and the fish propagated from them were stocked. The spawning runs remained too small, however, to enable large fish cultural developments with this species in New York waters. Due to the interest of numerous persons in the establishment of better salmon angling, legislative action was taken in 1944 by enactment of a bill carrying appropriation of $7,500 for a study "to determine the practica- bility of increasing landlocked salmon in waters of the State." Work was begun immediately and progress reports were submitted covering activities of each year. After expenditures of the original appropriation in 1945 the salmon project has been and is being continued as a regular part of Fish and Game Division activities. In its objectives, this project is state-wide but experimental work must of necessity be confined to certain waters. Organization of effort for the project has involved close cooperation of various personnel. The Bureau of FiSh and Wildlife Investigations is re- sponsible for field survey work and planning of management. The Bureau of Fish culture participates by propagating salmon and assisting in the collection of eggs necessary for this work. The Supervisor of Fish Manage- 3 ment has directed the construction of two weirs utilized for trapping salmon and as barriers to control undesirable fish. The Bureau of Inland Fisheries has participated by netting salmon for eggs and in controlling undesirable fish. The Bureau of Law Enforcement has cooperated in gather- ing information and in stocking. Throughout the progress of experimental work the interest of large numbers of sportsmen and others interested in recreational development has been high. The help of all those who have assisted in various phases of the work is gratefully acknowledged. Material help has been provided by the Vermont Department of Conservation and Development in supplying landlocked salmon in 1944 and 1945; the Dominion of Canada Depart- ment of Fisheries has similarly assisted in supplying Atlantic salmon eggs on an exchange basis. In summarizing work of the last four years, it should be kept in mind that the future is more important than the past. Fortunately nothing that has been learned is discouraging to the hopes of many anglers that good landlocked salmon fishing can be attained on an extensive scale in New York waters. In fact the experimental work has materially improved salmon fishing already, particularly in the Schroon Lake area. At the end of the four-year period enough has been learned to justify material expansion of efforts as rapidly as possible. Bearing in mind that the project was started during the war, at a time when any new facilities were difficult to develop and that the lack of a large supply of salmon eggs would of itself have limited expansion of propagation, it is still necessary to proceed on an experimental scale and expand rather gradually. LINES OF INVESTIGATION In developing an experimental management program a large amount of background information was taken into account. For example, many plant- ings of landlocked salmon had failed, indicating that heavy stocking alone could not be regarded as an adequate method. Likewise natural reproduction, over a long periodcof years, had not built up consistently large salmon populations. As both reproduction and stocking were believed to be greatly affected by various environmental factors, it was decided that the change of effective limiting factors of environments constituted a problem requir- ing careful work. The control of undesirable fish, those conflicting with salmon production, was believed to be a particularly productive field. The life history of salmon, although known in a general way, required some detailed investigation such as the location of spawning areas and suitable areas for production of young fish. Limiting factors in lake environments should not be overlooked but in view of a number of age deter- minations made from lake specimens showing favorable growth rate, a primary need for stream work was indicated. Very young salmon are stream fish. Unless produced in quantity by a stream or grown to advanced size for direct stocking in a lake, young fish cannot of course reach even the most suitable of lakes. Normally young salmon do not change from stream 4 to lake environment until about five inches and attainment of a silvery (smolt) stage. The early (parr) growth is slow but highly variable (from one to three years). Stream problems are important to solve, for direct stocking of salmon of advanced size in lakes would be an expensive undertaking for any lake of large acreage. Salmon investigations have been carried on with fish from both landlocked and sea-run origin. In order to differentiate the latter, they are called Atlantic salmon. They are indistinguishable from our own landlocks when grown under similar conditions in hatcheries and are being studied carefully to determine if they are equally suitable for our lakes. METHODS Fin-clipping has proven to be a highly useful means for checking results of experimental management. By removing one or more fins, various lots of small salmon have been marked and on subsequent recoveries results of experiments have been followed. Tag- ging has been used to a more limited extent by use of numbered metal tags. Two weirs, built on the Schroon River and on Mill Brook (a tributary of Upper Saranac Lake) have proven useful as barriers to keep undesirable fish from migrating into salmon areas and in the trapping of adult salmon for spawn or for examination. An electric shocker, consisting of gasoline motor generator and accesso- ries, has proven effective for removal of undesirable fish in Mill Brook at the Saranac hatchery so as to favor West Branch of survival of stocked salmon. the chroon The usual methods of netting with small trap nets proved effective in several areas for taking of salmon and control of suckers and other com- petitors. In the fish cultural aspects of the salmon project, a new method for obtaining eggs is being tested out in holding a permanent brood stock. This has been partially successful, small numbers of fry being reared from the first crop of eggs, taken in 1947. The 1948 yield of eggs appears to be of better quality and is being tested against eggs from wild breeders.

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