State prepares to move endangered fish to Springfield
Flood waters are threatening 4,000 endangered sockeye salmon at the Eagle Fish Hatchery near Eagle Island State Park. The south channel of the Boise River is running at flood stage.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologists have decided to move the salmon to the Springfield Hatchery in eastern Idaho beginning Thursday.
Crews have placed sandbags around buildings and electrical pumps that supply water to the hatchery. However, officials say if power is lost for an extended period of time, the sockeye could be in jeopardy.
Sockeye held at the Eagle Hatchery act as captive brood stock for sockeye that are spawned to produce young for release into Red Fish Lake and Pettit Lakes where they eventually migrate to the ocean. Other offspring are kept in captivity at facilities like Eagle Hatchery to provide a genetic bank that acts as safeguard against natural catastrophes, such as lethal river conditions.
According to Idaho Fish and Game, in 2016, 567 sockeye returned to the Sawtooth Valley, slightly below the 10-year average of 664 fish, but a huge improvement over previous decades.
In 1992, a single sockeye dubbed “Lonesome Larry” was the only fish to return to Red Fish Lake. He was one of 16 adult sockeye along with juveniles used to help jump start the recovery of Idaho’s sockeye salmon.
The Springfield Hatchery was completed in 2013 and is solely dedicated to rearing sockeye. It is expected to produce a million sockeye smolts for release next year.
