Is Chinook in Green Peter Bad for Kokanee?

[Salmonslayer2]

Is Chinook in Green Peter Bad for Kokanee? Someone handed me a paper yesterday about this. The size of the Kokanee have incresed over the last few years. I think this is good. I would like to catch larger Kokanee and fewer of them then lots of small kokanee. The person said the Chinooks are eating the Kokanee. I know that this is true. Is this why the Kokanee are larger or is it more food in the lake that is incresing the size. Could it be that the lake is in better health? All the kokanee are full of food when I catch them. I know that lakes in california have both fish. Maybe a good balance of Chinooks and Kokanee would be good?
Larry

[pathfinder]

Lets hope not!

[jzell]

"Someone handed me a paper yesterday about this."

Share with us your paper.

[Dullhook]

That does pose an interesting question. Are the Chinooks a recent introduction or have they been there for a while? I know that Chinooks and Kokanee have have co-existed in Detroit Res. as far back as I can recollect. Chinooks have been landed there weighing several pounds and the koke fishery seems healthy enough. GP already has a big bass population and hopefully one more predator won't spoil the mix but possibly benefit it. Agree with you that fewer but larger kokes always beats the alternative.

[Salmonslayer2]

Here is the letter. I don't know if I should put the contact names. If you want the names of District fish biologist, region’s Fish & Game Commissioner, and who the letter is from just contact me.


Thanks Larry




ODFW Endangers Kokanee


Fishery in Green Peter Reservoir


July 20, 2008


During each of the past three (3) and perhaps five (5) years, our thoughtless ODFW has been dumping 100,000 (that’s 100,000) surplus Spring Chinook fingerlings from the Foster hatchery into Green Peter Reservoir!

I contacted ODFW’s district biologist, a Mr. Steve Mamoyac for further information. The long and short of it is that this dumping was done with absolutely no science behind it — simply a whim to unload some surplus fish! This dumping is not based on any program, project, or plan. When I inquired into how and who authorized this dumping I could not get a straight answer. When asked what the object of the ‘plan’ was, NO ANSWER! When asked what sort of follow up scientific studies have been conducted, the answer — NONE! When asked if they expected the Chinook to mature and return to the upper streams and spawn — NO ANSWER! When asked why the surplus fingerlings were not placed in the Calapooia River to help restore that Spring Chinook run, Mr. Mamoyac responded that they would not survive there because these fingerlings are from a different river basin and survival would be near impossible!

Friends, this is just another one of those wasteful, mindless, and destructive acts conducted by ODFW. N0 purpose! No plan! No science! No idea! Just waste!

[FallRiverGuy]

From what I understand, it is very difficult wipe out a kokanee population with predatory fish. Like Dullhook mentioned, kokanee and chinook do fine in Detroit and Odell's population has not been scratched by the lake trout. Kokenee are very prolific at reproducing. I'll take the size of fish at GP right now anyday. Them fish are hogs.

[hawg boss]

Here is the letter. I don't know if I should put the contact names. If you want the names of District fish biologist, region’s Fish & Game Commissioner, and who the letter is from just contact me.



Thanks Larry




ODFW Endangers Kokanee


Fishery in Green Peter Reservoir


July 20, 2008


During each of the past three (3) and perhaps five (5) years, our thoughtless ODFW has been dumping 100,000 (that’s 100,000) surplus Spring Chinook fingerlings from the Foster hatchery into Green Peter Reservoir!

I contacted ODFW’s district biologist, a Mr. Steve Mamoyac for further information. The long and short of it is that this dumping was done with absolutely no science behind it — simply a whim to unload some surplus fish! This dumping is not based on any program, project, or plan. When I inquired into how and who authorized this dumping I could not get a straight answer. When asked what the object of the ‘plan’ was, NO ANSWER! When asked what sort of follow up scientific studies have been conducted, the answer — NONE! When asked if they expected the Chinook to mature and return to the upper streams and spawn — NO ANSWER! When asked why the surplus fingerlings were not placed in the Calapooia River to help restore that Spring Chinook run, Mr. Mamoyac responded that they would not survive there because these fingerlings are from a different river basin and survival would be near impossible!

Friends, this is just another one of those wasteful, mindless, and destructive acts conducted by ODFW. N0 purpose! No plan! No science! No idea! Just waste!

There was a purpose for this release. They did study these releases. They also studied their survival through the dam. The fish used were Surplus to production goals (which means they are normaly destroyed).

I spent my time and money hatching these fish, so I am familiar with the purpose of the release, and some of the things they learned. I am fairly sure that I posted those things in other Green Peter Chinook threads (I believe it was on the main board).

This is probably the guy that got this stoped. He is likely against restoring native fish. He is most likely afraid that if native fish are restored, his beloved non native fish will be removed. (ODFW does not want to harm the popular Kokanee fishery) The only reason that surplus fry were used instead of surplus adults is that the fry could all be tested for disease before release. They used surplus adults in the other reservoirs in the Willamette basin. Several of those reservoirs are going to get fish passage soon.