News Release Archives - May 2009
May 11, 2009
Spring Spawn Wrapped Up
Fisheries crews concluded a successful spawning season by nearly reaching the goal set for northern pike and far surpassing the target for walleye.
Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development section leader for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said department staff, along with personnel from the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, collected 22 million pike and 61 million walleye eggs during spring spawning. “We had a very good spring, with high quality eggs that are far above average,” Weigel said.
Weather conditions dictated a quick, three-day pike spawn. In the end, fisheries biologists were short 1 million pike eggs, but the above-average egg quality provided more than enough eggs to meet hatchery goals. “We are in really good shape,” Weigel said, “and we are still going to be able to meet our northern pike production goal, which is the highest in more than a decade.”
Crews collected 11 million pike eggs from Alkali/Spiritwood Lake in Stutsman County, 8 million from Lake Irvine in Ramsey County, and 3 million from Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe. Weigel said pike eggs are hatching and many of the ponds at Valley City and Garrison Dam national fish hatcheries have already been stocked. After about three weeks of growing, fingerlings will be shipped to waters statewide.
Weigel said the timing was perfect for spawning walleye in North Dakota. “The weather was ideal and the fish were healthy,” he added. “We are fortunate to get into several good runs of walleye.”
Crews collected 35.4 million walleye eggs from Lake Sakakawea, the most from the big lake in a number of years. In addition, 18.4 million came from Devils Lake, and another 7.4 million from a couple other state lakes.
“About the time we reached our goal of 30 million, South Dakota contacted us and indicated their runs were over and they were far short of their walleye egg collection goal,” Weigel said. “In a short time, our crews were able to collect additional eggs to meet their needs.”
In exchange, South Dakota had a surplus of perch eggs they were able to give to North Dakota. “That was unexpected,” Weigel said. “We struggled a little bit with perch, and didn’t anticipate receiving any help. Everything worked out well as we often assist each other with egg needs when one state comes up short.”
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