Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project

By Bob Montgomery

Once again our annual Salmon Enhancement program is now in full swing at the Monterey Bay Harbor Wharf II. The California Department Of Fish & Game delivered the first batch of 60,000 king salmon smolts on May 11th, 2000. The salmon smolts will go through a salt water acclimation program before being released into the Monterey Bay. The first 60,000 fish are to be released May 20th, and the next batch will arrive for their salt water acclimation May 24th. The second batch of fish will be released into the Monterey Bay on June 4th. A total of 120,000 King Salmon will be processed again this year.

These fish are brought here each year to supplement both sport and commercial fisheries. We have noted that fish released from our salmon pens have a harvest return 400% better than fish released or spawned naturally. This program has been so successful, that we are hoping to have new salmon pens for the Santa Cruz Harbor next May in 2001. These new pens will replace our Moss Landing pens that were shut down because of continuous dredging in the Harbor area. In addition, it is our opinion that these hatchery fish take some of the pressure off of salmon returning to the Sacramento River System, allowing more of them to spawn in these rivers.

From 1994 though 1998, all of the salmon released from our salmon pens in Monterey or Moss Landing were specially marked. Prior to their release, each fish had their adipose fin clipped and a special nose bead inserted. CDF&G conducted this program. When caught fish were inspected by Wardens or data collectors, any salmon with an adipose fin clipped, had its head removed and returned to CDF&G. By sliding the head under a scanner, technicians could tell where the fish was released from and when it was hatched. During last yearâs derby, we noted over 7% return of pen reared fish compared to less than a half percent return of fish released directly from a hatchery, or fish that spawn naturally in a stream.

Last, there are several business and many individual volunteers that make this whole event possible. When the operation is complete, we will make a list of as many of these people as possible and publish their names in our next newsletter. For now, come on down to Monterey Fishermanâs Wharf II, just opposite the Sandbar & Grill Restaurant and say hello to our new fish. One of our volunteers will show you what we are doing and why.

Back