09-24-2004, 02:11 AM
[size 2]PIERRE, S.D. -- Due to extremely low water elevations on Lake Oahe, Game, Fish and Parks will not be able to operate the Whitlocks Bay Salmon Station this season. Department officials say crews will use other techniques to collect fish. [/size]
[size 2]"This is the first time in 20 years that the station will not operate," said GFP Fisheries Biologist Robert Hanten of Pierre. "The low water creates a situation where we cannot reach the water with extensions to the fish ladder, and we do not have enough water depth in the bay to operate our pumps." Hanten noted that the record low lake elevations are coinciding with expected low salmon numbers returning to spawn.[/size]
[size 2]Department employees will attempt to capture spawning salmon by boat electrofishing. "Boat electrofishing involves a trained crew and a boat equipped to create electric fields to capture fish," Hanten said. "Electrofishing for salmon has been effectively used on Lake Oahe in prior years." [/size]
[size 2]Salmon egg requests have been sent to North Dakota and Montana to assist if South Dakota’s egg collection falls short. "It has been common practice for North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota to assist each other and share when salmon eggs are limited," Hanten explained. "Salmon eggs collected or received this fall will be used to produce juvenile salmon that will be stocked in 2005 to maintain a salmon fishery in Lake Oahe."[/size]
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[size 2]"This is the first time in 20 years that the station will not operate," said GFP Fisheries Biologist Robert Hanten of Pierre. "The low water creates a situation where we cannot reach the water with extensions to the fish ladder, and we do not have enough water depth in the bay to operate our pumps." Hanten noted that the record low lake elevations are coinciding with expected low salmon numbers returning to spawn.[/size]
[size 2]Department employees will attempt to capture spawning salmon by boat electrofishing. "Boat electrofishing involves a trained crew and a boat equipped to create electric fields to capture fish," Hanten said. "Electrofishing for salmon has been effectively used on Lake Oahe in prior years." [/size]
[size 2]Salmon egg requests have been sent to North Dakota and Montana to assist if South Dakota’s egg collection falls short. "It has been common practice for North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota to assist each other and share when salmon eggs are limited," Hanten explained. "Salmon eggs collected or received this fall will be used to produce juvenile salmon that will be stocked in 2005 to maintain a salmon fishery in Lake Oahe."[/size]
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