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, and lake trout, and Chinook salmon are not native to the Missouri River, but are stocked in the reservoir and 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 early June, adult smallmouth bass are preparing to spawn. In the wild, male bass have the responsibility of building a nest and incubating the eggs. At the Hatchery, the biologists take over the duties. Bass are held in tanks containing mats which are used as nests for laying their eggs. The mats are similar to the plastic "Welcome" mats at your front door. After the eggs are deposited, the mats are removed and the eggs are hatched in fry tanks.
How do salmon spawn?
Salmon spawning occurs in October in Lake Sakakawea. The salmon follow their instinct to migrate upstream to spawn. Biologists use this instinctive drive to capture adult fish for collecting eggs. Water is pumped from the lake through culverts creating an artificial stream. This "stream" lures adult salmon from the lake to collecting pens. Eggs from these fish are stripped, fertilized, and taken to the Hatchery to be incubated and hatched.
Trout and salmon spend their days at the Hatchery in raceways where they are supplied with a constant flow of cold, well-oxygenated water and fed a diet made specifically for their growth. When they are from 5to 10 inches long, they are ready to be stocked. The Hatchery staff produce nearly 1 million trout and salmon annually for stocking into North Dakota waters.
Other fish species that are produced here at Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery include sturgeon, sauger, saugeye, muskellunge, tiger musky, crappie, largemouth bass, paddlefish, and bluegill.
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.
