Welcome to Week CLXI of 鈥楩ishing Parkland Shorelines鈥�. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I鈥檒l attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don鈥檛 have access to a boat, a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish.
For the past century Saskatchewan鈥檚 fish stocks have been supported by the efforts of a fish hatchery at Fort Qu鈥橝ppelle.
Initially created by the federal government, transferred to their province decades later, and last November management of the facility passing to the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, the Fish Culture Station celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this month.
So let鈥檚 look at some of the history on fishing stocking in Saskatchewan.
鈥淧rior to the establishment of the Station, the first stocking of a provincial waterbody took place in 1991. Eight million whitefish fry from a Manitoba hatchery were transported 300 miles by rail and horse drawn wagon to the Qu鈥橝ppelle Valley Lakes,鈥� detailed a fact sheet circulated at the 100th anniversary event.
鈥淎s the demand on prairie fish stocks increased due to the settlement in the west in the early twentieth century, the need for a hatchery in the Qu鈥橝ppelle Valley grew. In response to this demand, the Dominion Government of Canada built the hatchery near Fort Qu鈥橝ppelle on Echo Lake in 1915. In 1930, the administration of the hatchery was transferred to the Province of Saskatchewan.鈥�
鈥淭he Fish Culture Station has evolved from decade to decade to meet changing needs and ease pressures on fish stocks in Saskatchewan waterbodies. While walleye, northern pike and a variety of trout species (rainbow, brook, brown, tiger, splake and lake trout) comprise the majority of current stock, additional species raised over the years include cisco (1918), perch (1920), bass (1923), smelt (1944), arctic grayling (1947), kokanee salmon (1961), alpine char (1964) and coho salmon (1969).鈥�
鈥淚n 1983, the facilities received major upgrades as well as a visitor centre which currently remains open to the public for guided or self-guided tours. Visitor numbers average between 3000 and 4000 visitors per summer.
In November of 2014, the administration of the Fish Culture Station was transferred from the Government of Saskatchewan to the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. The Station鈥檚 operating costs continue to be funded by Saskatchewan鈥檚 Fish and Wildlife development Fund. The FWDF now receives 30 per cent of the revenue generated from all fur, angling and hunting licences sold in the province.鈥�
The station has a large capacity which allows it to service the many lakes in the province with a range of fish species.
鈥淓quipped with a hatchery, fry shelter, water filtration plant, workshop, storage building, well water filtration, brood building and concrete ponds, the facilities at the Station have the capacity to rear as many as 80 million fish per year 鈥� some through their entire life cycle from egg to adult stages. Today the main fish species reared are walleye, northern pike, and a variety of trout (rainbow, brook, brown tiger, splake, and lake trout). The type of species to be raised, as well as the stocking locations, is determined by regional biologists from Saskatchewan鈥檚 Ministry of Environment,鈥� detailed the fact sheet.
Depending on the species and other factors, station stock is distributed to waterbodies at any of these stages: as eyed eggs, fry, fingerlings or adults. The vast majority are distributed at the advanced fry and fingerling stages.
So a bit about the actual process of rearing the fish we anglers dream of one day catching.
鈥淢illions of annually stocked fish begin their lives as small eggs obtained from brood stock kept at the station or was whitefish. Cisco were introduced (1918), perch (1920), from wild populations at spawn camps. Eggs collected from female fish are placed into moistened pans and fertilized with (milt (sperm) from male fish. These procedures do not harm the fish and they are returned to the waterbody,鈥� explains a station brochure.
There are three ways of incubating the eggs, depending on the species.
Jar Culture; 鈥淭he eggs, from walleye, northern pike and various trout species presently comprise the majority of whitefish are placed in six litre capacity glass jars. Water is circulated through the jars so the eggs are constantly moved. The embryo gradually begins to develop within the egg and soon the eyes of the embryo appear as two dark spots. These are known as eyed eggs. The length of time it takes the eggs to hatch varies with the species and water temperature. Walleye take roughly four weeks after fertilization to hatch. At that point, the embryonic walleye or sac fry breaks out of the egg still attached. The yolk sac provides nourishment for the growth of the fry which begins to develop mouth parts and fins as the sac gradually dissolves. The free swimming fry move from the jars to larger tanks by swimming and moving with the water flow. These fry are stocked out two to five days after hatching.鈥�
Trough and vertical culture is used for trout. 鈥淯sed for various trout species, the fertilized eggs are placed in wire baskets and suspended in troughs. Processed groundwater, kept at a constant temperature, is circulated through the eggs. Once the eggs have hatched, the sac fry remain dormant at the bottom of the trough until the yolk sac is absorbed. At that point, the advanced fry swim to the surface of the water in search of food and proceed on through the fingerling and adult phases.
鈥淰ertical Flow Incubators: Used only for trout, the eggs are placed in vertically stacked incubator trays. Water injected at the top tray flows through the bottom of each tray to circulate through the eggs and then drop to the tray below. The advantage of this method compared to trough culture is the same number of eggs can be incubated in a smaller amount of floor space, using less water. Fry are transferred from the trays to troughs at the advanced fry stage.鈥�
The efforts in providing trout are perhaps the most recognized from the station as the species are not naturally occurring in Saskatchewan.
Brown Trout; Not native to the province, but natural reproduction does take place in some creeks, located in the southwestern part of the province. The hatchery maintains a brood stock of about 400 fish, annually produces 40 to 80 thousand fingerlings and 20 to 40 thousand eyed eggs for stocking in about 15 waters.
Rainbow trout are similar. 鈥淭he hatchery maintains a brood stock of about 1,500 fish which annually produces 350 to 450 thousand fingerlings for stocking in 90 to 110 waters,鈥� details a brochure.
It鈥檚 a similar story with Brook Trout, although they do in some case reproduce here.
鈥淣ot native to the province, but natural reproduction does take place in some creeks and rivers. The hatchery maintains a brood stock of about 500 fish, annually produces 90 to 120 thousand fingerlings and 20 to 30 thousand eyed eggs for stocking in about 40 waters.鈥�
The station also produces two hybrid varieties, which are not natural species, but are crosses of two other species.
鈥淪plake trout are a cross between female lake trout and male brook trout. Every second year, 20 to 30 lakes are stocked with 130 to 180 thousand fingerlings,鈥� notes the brochure.
鈥淭iger trout are a cross between female brown trout and male brook trout. The hatchery produces only enough for supplemental stocking for about six waters as the species hatching success is quite low.鈥�
In terms of distribution the fish fry and fingerlings are taken to lakes and rivers across the entire province.
鈥淏efore station stock are distributed to provincial waterbodies, their weight and numbers are recorded so the receiving waterbody will not be overstocked. A waterbody is capable of supporting only a certain number of fish and if too many fish are placed in a waterbody, their needs for food and oxygen may be more than the waterbody is capable of providing some of the fish will perish. Station stock distribution varies depending on the species and the stage in their life cycle the stock have reached. For example, walleye and whitefish fry make the journey from the station to their new homes in plastic cubes half full of water (10 litres). These containers are oxygen charged and can gold as many as 100,000 walleye fry or 50,000 whitefish fry for up to 12 hours. The vast majority of distribution is carried out by truck. Some remote northern lakes, which may be inaccessible or impractical to reach by road, are stocked by plane or helicopter.鈥�
The impact of the 100 years of the station has been highly important in terms of recreation for Saskatchewan residents, and in terms of the province鈥檚 economy.
鈥淥ver the past century, the Station and staff have contributed greatly to enhancing public angling opportunities across Saskatchewan through its fish rearing and stocking activities. Today, fishing in an important recreational and economic activity in our province, with nearly a quarter of Saskatchewan residents participating each year. Recreational fishing generates over $350 million in economic activity annually,鈥� details the fact sheet.
With the Wildlife Federation now guiding the station, they are preparing to meet future needs by assessing where things are today, and what will be needed into the future.
A study of the Provincial Fish Culture Station will be undertaken to assess the current state of the facilities and infrastructure to develop a plan for modernization and refurbishment in order to meet present and future fish culture requirements for the Ministry of Environment鈥檚 fish stocking program.
The station is also a great place to stop for a tour.
The station is located oh Highway #210, five kilometres west of Fort Qu鈥橝ppelle.
The visitor information centre provides informative literature, panel display, and audio visual materials on species raised at the Station as well as self-guided or guided tours of the grounds and fish stock. The visitor centre is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week, from May 1, to Labour Day (Sept. 7, 2015). The best time to visit the Fish Culture Station is from the middle of May to approximately the first week of June when eggs are being incubate and the fry and fingerlings are being held in troughs before being distributed throughout the province.
