The
Iron River National Fish Hatchery (IRNFH) is cooperating with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service's Genoa
National Fish Hatchery, the Ashland Fishery Resource Office, and the states of Wisconsin and Michigan to restore the coaster brook trout to its native range on the southern shore
of Lake Superior.
National Fish Hatcheries (NFH) develop and maintain brood stocks of selected
fish strains with our primary focus on native species such as lake trout and
brook trout. Hatcheries also provide technical assistance and sources of fish
and eggs to cooperating agencies, provide fish and eggs for research, stock fish
and eggs as part of native fish restoration programs, stock fish in fulfillment
of federal mitigation obligations and assist with restoration and recovery of
other native aquatic species.
The Function of the IRNFH is to:
Produce eggs for the National Broodstock Program
Rear lake and brook trout as
part of Great Lakes Restoration Program
Supply fish/eggs for research and tribal programs, and
Provide environmental education
The staff of the IRNFH are trying to save
the once abundant, native coaster brook trout
What
is a coaster brook trout?
Coasters
are brook trout that live at least some of their life in the Great Lakes or in
the ocean along the Atlantic coast of North America. In Lake Superior they
usually swim up tributary streams to spawn in late fall, but may also spawn
along the lake shore. Coasters differ from brook trout that live in
streams year-round in size (mature adults are usually over 12 inches long and
may weigh several pounds) and color (more silvery), and have longer life spans. Named after their fondness
for Lake Superior's rocky shore lines, coasters were the darlings of 19th
century
anglers from America and Europe. Diaries
from the period joyfully record the fish's brilliant colors, trophy size,
gourmet taste and eagerness to rise to the bait.
Sadly, predictions in the
late 1800s that this bonanza couldn't last, came
true. The unregulated coaster brook trout fishery was easily overfished
and human activity damaged watersheds. For example, spawning beds were
buried under sand churned up as rafts of freshly cut timber headed downstream to
sawmills. Trout population numbers began a downward spiral. By the
1940s, the number of wild coaster populations was reduced to a mere half-dozen.
The Challenges That Lie Ahead
In the last three decades, human influences have pushed the Nation's natural
resources beyond the ability of many fish and aquatic resources to sustain them.
The IRNFH has responded to the many challenges facing the Nation's fisheries by
focusing its resources on:
Restoring and maintaining native fish populations in interjurisdictional
waters where stocks are threatened.
Maintaining the National Broodstock Program, which ensures that
disease-free eggs and larvae are available for restoration, enhancement and
other programs.
Evaluation of hatchery stocking programs.
Conducting public outreach on fishery resource issues.
The success of captive propagation for recovery depends upon a number of
things, including careful genetics planning and management.
Despite the challenges,
success stories are growing and showcase the IRNFH's dedication to good
science and management.
The
Iron River NFH coaster brook trout restoration program serves as one
component of a long-term effort by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
and our many cooperators, to restore important and valuable fishery resources
to the
Great Lakes and the American people.
