Mobile Walleye Hatchery Brings Small Fry Excitement
MASSENA - The joy and excitement of the members of the St. Lawrence River Walleye Association was reminiscent of expectant fathers as they watched the little specks that are the fry of walleye emerge from eggs this week to begin a journey they hope will result in the introduction of more sport fish into the St. Lawrence River.
"We're watching walleye be born," John Matthews said, armed with a spotlight as he watched several tubes inside the walleye association's portable hatchery that had been set up at Whalen Park in the town of Louisville.
As the fry emerged from their eggs, they began to make an effort to swim up several inches to the top of their tubes beginning a journey that would see them drop into a tub with other fry.
"These are the eggs we got from the state's Department of Environmental Conservation on April 9. The estimate is we got 150,000 eggs. That should generate enough fry to fill our 100-foot by 200-foot pond near Waddington," he said.
Walleye association officials said they are hopeful they will have 100,000 fry to place in the pond when their work at the hatchery is completed.
"The fry are no more than a quarter inch now. We will keep them in the tubs for a few days and then drop them in the pond. Once they get to be approximately one and a half to two inches long, probably by the week of July 4, we will drain our pond and drop the fish in the St. Lawrence.
"If we get cold weather, they will grow slower. Once they get that big, we have to move them because they will start cannibalizing. If we leave them in the pond too long, they'll be eating themselves," he said.
Mr. Matthews said the first fry started emerging from their eggs Monday, but he pointed out the cold weather and blizzard like conditions Tuesday quickly slowed that process.
Patience was a key the next night as walleye association members and visitors to the hatchery watched for the periodic emergence of a fry.
"We live this stuff. This is what we worked so hard to get. Sometimes are wives and girlfriends get upset with us we live it so much," Mr. Matthews quipped.
There was also good natured ribbing as the men working in the hatchery took shots as their fellow association members - the pond scum - that will play a more active role when the fry are moved out of the hatchery.
A shallow well pump was being used to draw water from the St. Lawrence River and was being aerated in a tank before being trasferred into a 300-gallon tank inside the portable hatchery.
Association members said they were seeking to recreate the environment fry born in the St. Lawrence experience. "This is the water they live in," Mr. Matthews pointed out.
Michael Gagner, president of the St. Lawrence River Walleye Association, said his group was trying to provide the fry with the best environment possible to aid in the success of the hatchery effort.
Mr. Gagner suggested the emergence of the fry at the portable hatchery marked the beginning of a new tradition. "We'll be doing this year after year, and we hope to pass this tradition on to our younger members," he noted.
