I'm working as a Fish Culturist at Hidden Falls Salmon Hatchery in a remote spot near Sitka, Alaska! AM I CRAZY!? I'm starting to think so...

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

It's about that time...

What time, you ask??

SPAWNING TIME!!!!!!!!

Today I had the day off (because of spawning, our schedules have been changed around) but I had to come in at 4 so we could all talk about spawning. The time has come folks... tomorrow we will start spawning! I'm a little freaked out... ok not FREAKED out but just nervous sorta... I'm so self concious about doing things I have never done before in front of people... like "I wanna do this but don't watch me... I don't want to look stupid if I screw up!" That's the reason...

Anyhow, I guess it all does look easy enough... I'll walk you through it. (BTW, on my days off, I'm going to try to get pictures of people spawning so you can SEE it...)

So apparently there are about 96,000 chum inside the barrier net, and they are pushing HARD to try to get into the inner lagoon! There are always SOOO many right in front of the weir (that's that concrete walkway looking thing that the fish have to jump up). They have some gates that they open and close so ALL the fish don't come in at once but they have been letting alot into the inner lagoon and they are chompin at the bit! And I say "chompin" in literal terms because the male chum have got some MAJOR teeth on them! They ain't nicknamed "dogs" by coincidence! So anyhow, they turned on the water in the two raceways, which causes water to flow down the fish ladder. The fish ladder just simulates a series of rapids for the fish to jump basically... like in a real river. I'll have to also get some pictures there too because there are alot of fish there too... ok there are just alot of fish EVERYWHERE!

Basically we spawn until all the fish are out of the two raceways (for the day)... then we drop the crowders in the back and when we come back in the morning, both will be full of fish again! I asked Adam about how many fish would fit into the raceways and I think he said like 4000 (not sure if that was BOTH or just one... ALOT) So we fill up the "shock box" with fish... shock them so they are dead and dump them on the table. If they aren't dead still, we have to hit them on the head with a "fish bat." (I don't want to hear any "owws" and "oh that's terrible"s PLEASE... they are going to die anyhow.) Then they get sorted, males go down the middle of the table, females get placed in the slots on either side. Males you literally just squeeze... Females you have to cut open and basically the eggs just pour out onto this little table thing that slides them into the tray. Think a slip and slide... ha ha

That's basically it... getting the eggs is a bloody job but the male part is fairly clean... not including all the fish slime, which apparently doesn't really wash off very well in the shower even! I'll tell ya how it goes tomorrow... it looks like once I get the hang of it, it should be kinda fun. Though we will be doing it for a month (or more) straight so it'll get tedious but it might be fun for a little bit atleast. And I like the people I'm working with so it should be ok.

Well... that's all I've got for you today. I was out trying to get some pictures of the salmon trying to jump up the flow of water at the weir but... that's not as easy as it sounds. You'd think you'd get atleast ONE jumping because there are alot of fish just constantly jumping but it's hard to catch. Anyhow, pictures will come... be patient. I should hold my pictures ransom until I get some mail though! GRRRR... Thanks for the mail though Melissa! I got that today... yay! Remember, no food please. But MAIL!

SHOUT OUT OF THE DAY - Lee, Happy Birthday yesterday! ;-D


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So you are gonna take pictures of people spawning... sounds interesting! Just kidding... I understand what you are gonna take pictures of! Sounds like you should have a busy and slimey month of work!!!
Did you get the card I sent (it was tucked inside the package?)
Melissa

Anonymous said...

You sound like your having a real cool time doing icky things to those poor fishys! I'm gonna sik PETA on you. ZEKE

Anonymous said...

OK...I can't help myself...EWW, THAT'S TERRIBLE! lol
Mom