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Biologists strive to balance fish populations in a reservoir critical for Kokanee salmon; record egg harvest will help sustain Kokanee spawning program
Kokanee Salmon. PHOTO COURTESY COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
Taking eggs from a kokanee salmon at the Roaring Judy fish hatchery. PHOTO COURTESY GUNNISON COUNTY TIMES.
By Summit Voice
SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado Parks and Wildlife collected 11 million eggs from kokanee salmon running out of Blue Mesa Reservoir this fall. The record harvest will ensure that Colorado Parks and Wildlife will have adequate supplies for stocking 26 reservoirs around the state with salmon fry next year.
But biologists say much more work needs to be done before they declare the population of kokanee salmon in the 9,000-acre reservoir recovered. Kokanee numbers have declined precipitously during the past 10 years as the population of predatory lake trout boomed, knocking the fishery out of balance. (more…)
Filed under: Colorado, Environment, fishing, recreation, Summit County news, wildlife | Tagged: Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, Colorado parks and wildlife, Kokanee salmon, Lake trout, wildlife | Leave a Comment »
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