What species are stocked in lake Sakakawea?
Walleye, northern pike, and paddlefish are three of the native species that are stocked in the lake. Brown, rainbow trout, and Chinook salmon are not native to the Missouri River, but are stocked in the reservoir or below the dam. In fact, all of the trout and salmon in the reservoir have spent the early part of their life at the Hatchery. Smallmouth bass have also been introduced and established into the lake.
Why does the Fish and Wildlife Service stock non-native fish?
The habitat that exists in Lake Sakakawea was not found in the old Missouri River system. Consequently, the fish that are native to the river have not adapted to these conditions. Fish species more suited to the lake were introduced from the Hatchery to fill the niche. Chinook salmon, trout, and smallmouth bass provide anglers with unique fishing opportunities. Without the reservoirs, these species wouldn't exist in the Missouri River.
When do pike and walleye spawn?
In early spring as the ice begins to melt, northern pike and walleye are trapped from the wild. Their eggs are stripped, fertilized, and taken to the Hatchery to be incubated in special hatching jars. The eggs hatch within a couple weeks and are stocked in rearing ponds. Biologists add nutrients to the ponds to encourage the growth of microscopic plankton. Plankton and aquatic insects are food for the newly hatched fish, called fry. After a month, the fish are nearly 2 inches long and are ready to be stocked into area lakes.
How many pike and walleye are stocked from the Hatchery each year?
The number of northern pike and walleye stocked each year is dependent on the success of natural production. If natural production is high, stocking rates from the Hatchery are lowered and vice versa. Hatchery staff have produced up to 3 million northern pike and nearly 10 million walleye in a single year.
What other species are spawned here?
In January when waters across the North Dakota plains are frozen over, the burbot (or ling) are making preparations. This odd looking fish is right at home in the 33 degree waters. In fact, now is the time for these fish to begin their annual spawning rituals. Unfortunately habitat disturbances around the globe have this fish fighting for it’s existence. Garrison Dam NFH has recently taken up the fight to restore this fish to it’s historic range. Adult burbot captured from the wild are spawned here and stocked where biologists have determined a need for supplementation or reintroduction.
What’s a ‘burbot?’
Burbot are known by many names including ling, lawyer, eel pout and cod. It is the only freshwater cod found in North America. It’s delicious flavor makes up for its reputation of being snake or eel like and gives the flesh of the fish the nickname ‘poor man’s lobster’. The fish appears scaleless like a catfish, has a long slender body, mottled green, yellow and brown in color and has a single barbel or whisker on its lower chin. Burbot have a holarctic distribution, meaning they are found in the northern hemisphere in Europe as well as North America.
How are salmon captured and spawned?
Chinook salmon in North Dakota are found exclusively in Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe and the Missouri River connecting the two reservoirs. Spawning begins in October with biologists constructing ‘artificial streams’ leading from the lake. These ‘streams’ are essentially corrugated metal culverts through which lake water is pumped. In the reservoirs, the salmon are attracted to this flowing water and eventually are trapped and spawned by the biologists. If water levels are unsuitable for the streams, the biologists resort to electrofishing for the adults. Eggs from the spawned adults are brought to the hatchery to incubate.
Salmon found in the Missouri River may also be collected for spawning purposes. These salmon use their sense of smell to locate the hatchery. Imprinted to the ‘flavor’ of hatchery water as juveniles, these fish are able to make their way to the hatchery following the stream that connects to the Missouri River. It’s awesome to watch as these fish make their annual migration up the hatchery creek, backs out of water and fighting the obstacles, to get back to their place of hatch.
What is imprinting?
Imprinting in salmon occurs when the juvenile salmon, called smolts, instinctively memorize the smell of their home waters. Once released from the hatchery they spend four years roaming the waters of the Missouri River reservoirs until they reach maturity. As the time approaches for them to spawn they make their way back to their natal waters, in this case the hatchery, to spawn. Wild Chinook salmon native to the west coast rivers will travel thousands of miles in the Pacific Ocean before returning to the stream in which they hatched. Who needs GPS or a roadmap!
What about endangered species?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and this Hatchery are committed to the recovery of endangered species. Changes to the Missouri River through dam construction, channelization, pollution, and introduction of non-native fishes have caused a decline in numbers of some native fish species. The pallid sturgeon, a North Dakota native, is an endangered species. Pallid sturgeon are an ancient fish species that can live to be 50 years old and weigh up to 80 pounds. The Hatchery staff play an active role in their recovery. In the spring, adult sturgeon are brought to the Hatchery to be spawned. We hope our efforts will save this fish from extinction.
What can I see here?
You are invited to tour the Hatchery and Visitor Center. The Visitor Center contains aquariums where you can experience up-close the many fish species found in the Missouri River. Volunteer guides are available during much of the summer to answer questions and provide tours through the Hatchery. To view the hatching process, you are encouraged to come in April or May to view coolwater fish, and in October and November for the trout and salmon. Garrison Dam NFH is located downstream of Garrison Dam off ND Highway 200.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service seeks to afford persons with disabilities full accessibility or reasonable accommodation. Contact Hatchery staff for information or to address accessibility needs. For the hearing impaired, use your State Relay System for the Deaf.
