What is a Fish Hatchery Anyway?

Federal fish hatcheries have been part of our nation's resource management efforts for more than 100 years. Hatcheries can be warm water, cool water, or cold water facilities. Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery is a warm water station involved in spawning, hatching, and rearing young fish (fingerlings). The fingerlings are raised to a size and age which provide them with the best chance of surviving in the wild. Resource managers nationwide acknowledge hatcheries as a valuable tool for the preservation of our nation's fisheries resources.

 

The Ponds

There are 53 ponds, each averaging 0.8 acres in size. There is no designated walking trail, but you are welcome to walk on the levees to birdwatch or to just enjoy being outdoors.

For 75 years the hatchery has served the needs of American people in the region. From helping rural families stock their farm ponds during the Great Depression to restoring endangered species today the work of conserving the nation's aquacultural resources continues here at the Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery.

 

Our Fish ...

The Paddlefish

The Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is the only living member of the Polyodontidae family. Its only living relative is the Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius), an endangered species found only in the Yangtze River valley in China. The paddlefish is recognized by its long, smooth, shark-like body and its long paddle-shaped snout (rostrum). They have a skeleton composed of cartilage instead of bone and are scaleless with smooth skin. The paddlefish feeds like a whale, with its mouth opened wide so it can filter zooplankton from the water. This unique fish is one of the largest freshwater fish in North America. The largest reported specimen weighed in excess of 160 pounds and was seven feet long.

Populations have declined rapidly due to overharvest because of the paddlefish's commercial value. Their eggs are in high demand for caviar and can bring $500 per pound in some markets. In addition to overharvest, populations have been declining due to environmental factors such as the loss of spawning habitat resulting from dredging, channelization, and damming of rivers.

Here at Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery, we spawn paddlefish and raise them to fingerling size (6-10"). Before they are released they have coded wire tags inserted in to their rostrums so biologists can track tagged fish and gather valuable information about them. These efforts will help restore paddlefish populations to their historical levels.

 

Did you know ... ?

Because of their smooth skin paddlefish are sometimes mistaken for a species of catfish. They are nicknamed spoonbilled catfish even though they are not related to any catfish species.

Striped Bass

The Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are members of the sea bass family. Sea bass, also known as true bass, are primarily found in salt water environments. Two species, the yellow bass and the white bass, are only found in fresh water.

Striped bass are an anadromous fish, which means they can be found in fresh and salt water. Valued as both commercial and sport fish, stripers attain large sizes and are excellent fighting fish. In addition to their angling qualities, biologists often use striped bass as a predator to control high populations of gizzard shad. Overharvest, pollution and other factors have created stress on wild populations. Studies of commercial fisheries have shown a 70% decline in the amount of striped bass caught annually. Efforts at Natchitoches National Fish hatchery concerning striped bass are to restore their historical range and population levels.

The Pallid Sturgeon

The Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) is a member of the sturgeon family, a small group of primitive fishes that evolved approximately 250 million years ago. Sturgeon inhabit waters in northern Europe, Asia, and North America. Seven species are found in North America. Sturgeon have sleek, shark-like bodies. They are unique in that they possess bony plates that run lengthwise along the sides of their bodies. These plates are called scutes. Sturgeon do not have scales.

Sturgeon face many of the same problems as paddlefish... their eggs are used as caviar and their spawning habitats have been destroyed in most areas. The pallid sturgeon is listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They prefer extremely turbid waters and strong currents where they feed on insects and small fish. The pallid sturgeon spawns between June and August. Our goal here is to develop spawning and culture techniques that will allow us to successfully raise large numbers of these fish for supplemental stocking. These supplemental stocking efforts will hopefully enable populations to be restored so that the pallid sturgeon can be removed from the Endangered Species list.

Channel Catfish

The Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are members of the Ictaluridae family. Catfish lack scales and possess an adipose fin, as well as a single, often serrated spine in the dorsal and pectoral fins. There are four pairs of barbels ("whiskers") around the mouth, two on the chin, one at the angle of the mouth, and one behind the nostril. The channel catfish is generally gray to greenish-gray on the upper part of its slender body, silver to white on its lower half and belly and has a deeply forked tail. Small adults and juveniles have black or dusky spots on their body.

The sportfishing record channel catfish is a specimen from Georgia that weighed 32 pounds. Catfish have numerous external taste buds, many of which are located on the barbels. Consequently, they can taste something by simply touching it with their barbels.

Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

The largemouth bass is indisputably the most sought-after freshwater game fish in North America, and this species commands the attention of resource management agencies primarily as a result of its recreational fishery value. Largemouth bass are an important predator species in the fish communities they inhabit. Wherever they are present, the condition of the bass population usually affects the overall quality of fishing more than any other factor. The hatchery raises over 1 million largemouth bass a year

Bass are a favorite sports fish of anglers all over Lousiana . . . the "Sportsman's Paradise."

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Bluegill are a freshwater fish, although they will venture into slightly salty water. Bluegill like quiet waters such as lakes, ponds and slow flowing rivers and streams. Bluegill have small mouths and an oval shaped body. The fish is olive green on the upper body and light yellow on its belly. Dark bands run up and down from the back fading into the belly. Bluegill are a member of the sunfish family.

Easy to catch, bluegill make a good pan fish. They are often the first fish that a young fisherman catches.

Bluegill often called sunfish or bream are found throughout Louisiana waters.

 

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Other information on recreational fishing can for found on state wildlife and fishery sites and Recreational Fishing.gov.

For Louisiana hunting and fishing regulations see Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries