Cutback on Kamloops

[Tom7227]

Minnesota DNR to reduce number of trout raised at French River Hatchery

By: Sam Cook, News Tribune

January 5, 2010

The French River Hatchery near Duluth will significantly reduce the number of Kamloops trout it produces, fisheries officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said Monday.

The change is a cost-cutting effort and, along with other stocking reductions, will save the DNR about $120,000 annually, said Tim Goeman, DNR regional fisheries supervisor at Grand Rapids.

“We’re feeling the squeeze like many companies and entities,” Goeman said.

The French River Hatchery is expensive to operate because its water comes from Lake Superior and must be pumped and heated. The DNR plans to shift most of its production of Kamloops rainbow trout from the French River to another DNR hatchery at Spire Valley near Remer, Goeman said.

Shifting the stocking to a hatchery with warmer water will save about $75,000 a year, he said.

No layoffs are planned, but hatchery staff may be reduced as retirements occur, Goeman said. The hatchery employs five people full time and a part-time secretary.

Kamloops rainbow trout are stocked in Lake Superior from the Lester River to the French River, and the program has provided abundant angling opportunities. The program will continue at its current level, with about 92,500 Kamloops rainbows stocked annually. All but about 20,000 to 25,000 now will be raised at Spire Valley, said Don Schreiner, DNR Lake Superior area fisheries supervisor.

“I think they’re going to end up phasing out the entire [French River] hatchery in four or five years,” said Superior’s Dexter Nelson, president of the Duluth Charter Captains Association. “I think they should move the entire Kamloops program to Spire Valley. I think it would be better for the program.”

But Duluth’s Ross Pearson, a dedicated Kamloops rainbow angler, is disappointed.

“It’s unfortunate,” Pearson said. “It’s not going to be a good thing for [Kamloops] returns. … It’s a money issue. They’ve got staffing and money cuts, and they aren’t coming up with the money.”

In another cost-cutting measure, the DNR will reduce stocking of rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout in inland trout lakes across Northeastern Minnesota, saving about $40,000 to $50,000 per year, Goeman said.

Duluth angler Gary Meier said the DNR can’t be expected to pay for all its fisheries programs unless license fees keep pace with rising costs. The DNR fisheries program gets no money from the state’s general fund.

“Fishing licenses and the Trout Stamp are a tremendous bargain,” Meier said. “The license fee hasn’t gone up in a number of years. There’s no way you can keep up with inflation and the cost of operating different fisheries programs if you don’t pay for it.”

One concern among anglers and DNR fisheries supervisors is how Kamloops rainbow trout will imprint to North Shore streams when they’re raised at Spire Valley. Imprinting causes the fish to return as adults to the rivers where they were spawned or stocked. Because French River water passes through the French River Hatchery, Kamloops rainbows naturally imprint to that river system.

Although the program has been extremely successful through the years, returns of Kamloops rainbows to North Shore streams have been very low the past three years.

Schreiner said the DNR plans to re-evaluate its stocking procedures to give fish the best chance to imprint on the French River and other North Shore streams.

“We’re just trying to make the best of a changing situation and make sure the fish we are putting in will come back to the rivers we want them to come back to,” Schreiner said.

Duluth’s Meier understands the concern about imprinting, but he is less concerned about the Kamloops strain of rainbow trout itself. The strain was first stocked in Lake Superior in the 1970s.

“To be frank,” Meier said, “I’m not a fan of ’loopers to begin with because they’re just another exotic [species]. Frankly, I’d rather see resources be directed toward coaster brook trout, which are a native species.”

The DNR also is making some cutbacks in its northern pike and catfish programs statewide, Goeman said. No substantial cuts are planned for the walleye and muskie programs.

“It would be nice if some other areas of the fisheries would take a hit, not just us guys up here in the north, not just the cold-water fisheries,” Nelson said.

[splakeshaker]

Not only loopers but they are cutting out and/or down the stream trout lake stocking on quite a few lakes also. A bummer in my opinion. I pay out alot to the DNR, as we all do, for a variety of outdoor activities that I enjoy. I just hope it doesn't impact my enjoyment and success of my passions. Time will tell. Probably be a few years though, to really see a difference.

[traveler]

I guess we'll see how it affects the program...it's not like it's been going great guns for a while now.

It IS too bad about the NE trout lakes though...I fish a few of the lakes on the cutback list, it will be interesting to see how deep those cuts are. Can't imagine it won't lead to reduced opportunities, since they're strictly put and take lakes.

[s t fanatic]

so, how long did it take to figure out that heating water is expensive?? punping water out of the lake. im sorry but thats the dumbest idea ive heard in a while.

[laker1]

On the inland lakes many of those lakes should of been dropped years ago. Survival rate was low and many of these lakes fish did not obtained a catchable size or survival rate was so low. Some of these lakes it was like dumping the fish down the drain. They should add a few more lakes to this list than reevaluate and find some more habitable lakes and expand the program more efficiently. You hear from everywhere the DNR is wasting money and resources-well here they are trying to get the best they can from a shrinking dollar.The lake trout program and inland stream trout program does have room for expansion but you need good quality water.

[laker1]

The water temperature problem was brought to the attention of differantlegistlatures in the 80's, but certain legistlatures did not want to close it. It was not the DNR fault. A lot of wasteful politics involved in resource management.

[WasteManagement]

I fished a few trout lakes near Duluth. The cut back on temperature made a big difference. There were lots of little rainbows. A degree or a two makes for several inches. Bigger trout will be nice.

In WI i go to a land locked Large Mouth bass and Sunfish lake, only. That is about as much fun and eating as a trout lake is. I think i could handle seeing a few lakes dropped to bolster the populations of the others.

[laker1]

The water temperature problem were referring to is that the hatchery actually had to heat the water up(very inefficient) to raise the trout. They draw their water from lake Superior.

[WasteManagement]

The first cut back was not warming the water up as much. By saving one degree of heat, they saved so many dollars. But the result was trout raised in, just a random number, 68 degrees. When in previous years the water was warmed to 70 degrees. It greatley effected the trout length as yearlings when stocked.

On the lake i fished at the 2008 stocking was 2500 fish at 450.4 pounds

In 2007 it was 2496 fish at 527 pounds.

I would imagine the 2009 report will be simular if not smaller than the 2008.

In a city lake the 2008 stocking was 2500 fish at 1407 pounds.

[macgruber]

not saying the stocking program didn't need a second look, but is the dnr's budget separate from the amendment we all passed a little while back?

[laker1]

yes and no. The stocking program is completely separate. Yes the DNR does gets money for habitat and land aquisition from the admendment. Also thru grants to do special projects. It gets very complicated really. It needs refining. Some of those lakes should of been dropped years ago and the DNR fisheries should of been looking at new candidates.

[blackdog1101]

Like that one guy said, I'd like to see more of the money spent on exotic species go into restoring the coaster brook trout. How awesome would it to be able to catch a 5 pound native brook trout?

[macgruber]

black, i am absolutely with you..... superior's forage base isn't enormous and kamloops would definitely compete with larger brookies for food..... that said, i don't think the powers that be are convinced that even without competition the brookies would be able to complete a big comeback....

minnesota seems to be doing better than other states in that dept. though..... wish they'd just make it catch and release period for brookies below the boundaries..... and promote the heck out of the species.... lot's of folks don't know how special a recovered pop. of brookies in our waters would be.... i've still seen some poached, whether intentionally or otherwise.... everyone should be aware of the value they potentially have.....

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Habitat becomes a big issue when dealing with Coasters.

There is surveying happening by the DNR, and there is also the work the Grand Portage Tribe is doing, too.

So it's not like they are completely off the radar. I just think it's tough to commit a lot of money into something like that when the habitat for successful recovery isn't there.

[blackdog1101]

So it's not like they are completely off the radar. I just think it's tough to commit a lot of money into something like that when the habitat for successful recovery isn't there.

Organizations like TU, the Brule River Sportsman's Club, LSSA, etc have a long history of successfully partnering with the DNR to restore habitat. Sure it takes time, money, and labor. Just like any other worthwhile endeavor.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Let's hope for the best! I would love to see Coasters back!

[Arctic]

so, how long did it take to figure out that heating water is expensive?? punping water out of the lake. im sorry but thats the dumbest idea ive heard in a while.

I remember hearing about the cost of heating cold, Lake Superior water back when I was a teenager in the late 70s. It's a big expense. I hate to say it, but closing the French River hatchery and moving production to another site with spring water would make better sense to the sportsman/taxpayer.

[Arctic]

The lake trout program and inland stream trout program does have room for expansion but you need good quality water.

Right on. As a lake trout fanatic, I'd like to see lakers restored to lakes where they were wiped out by walleye introductions, and introduced to a few lakes where conditions are suitable. All of the above are in the BWCA where I do 95 percent of my fishing.