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KRIS Web Background Pages: Hatcheries

There is only sporadic information about supplementation efforts on Big River from California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) file memos (1955, 1958) and Maahs (1999). No native broodstock hatchery programs were ever initiated on Big River, although trapping of adult coho was attempted in one year (Maahs, 1999). Read excerpts from Maahs about pond rearing programs on lower Big River and Chamberlain Creek. High mortality of juvenile coho and chinook reared in Big River off channel ponds described by Maahs (1999) are likely related to high water temperatures, which can bring about the increase in disease of stressed fish confined to ponds where rearing densities are high.

A CDFG (1958) memo documents that the South Fork Big River was planted with 200,000 coho eggs in January 1956. Chinook salmon had also been planted in the Big River as documented in a CDFG (1955) memo: "135,000 king salmon fingerlings were marked and released during May 1950. A total of 480,000 king salmon fingerlings which were not marked were released during the period of 1949-52."

References

California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1955. Memorandum to R.L. Jones, Manager, Region 3, from W.A. Evans, Fisheries Management Supervisor, Region 3, re: king salmon project in Big River, Mendocino CA. CDFG unpublished file memo. Yountville, CA 3 pp.

California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1958d. South Fork Big River (Big River tributary) stream survey, 8 August 1957 and/or 8 November 1958. CDFG unpublished file memo by R.F. Elwell. Yountville, CA. 5 pp.

Maahs, M. 1999. Fort Bragg's World's Biggest Salmon BBQ: a brief history of the Salmon Restoration Association and their work. Salmon Restoration Association. Fort Bragg, CA.