Hatchery volunteers have been helping NIWA and RDRML staff in the trapping process to secure a small number of downward migrating salmon fry to check them for any damage incurred when negotiating the flow of water past the fish screen and into the return by-pass. Helpers do shifts during the night when the trap is in, from 6pm to midnight, and midnight to 7am the next morning. Every hour the trap is checked and any fish that have been diverted are put into a holding tank for later checking.
Its not an onerous task to help out and Fish and Game show prospective helpers what to do as they are also part of the process. There is a warm dry room to shelter in between checks and lots of laughs and coffee is drunk during the night. We would like more folk to help as we have a few more checking nights coming up in the near future. Contact Phil 0274422454 if you think you might be able to help out.
​Photos show operations at the fish trap. Click to enlarge.

Its time for a catch up on Hatchery happenings since the last post in April.  Work carries on rain, hail or shine. We have a great team of enthusiastic volunteers who give up days every week to keep the hatchery operating. Following is a summary of operations to date.

The Incubators were prepared for the arrival of eggs, cleaned, and disinfectant added 7th May. Cleanliness is paramount at all stages of egg and fish production.
 
Started stripping fish 14th May, only 4 ready, stripped 26 on 17th May, grateful for help from Mt Cook Salmon rep. Stripped some fish for Otago harbour 21st May (wet day, everyone got wet), and some more fish 26th May. These eggs are added to “Heath tray Incubators” which contain 8 trays. Water moves from the top tray through all the eggs and exits the lowest tray.  The top tray is not used for eggs and is left clear to trap any silt.
Started egg picking to remove  dead eggs on 27th May and continued on till around 27th July. Eggs started hatching 16th July.
Fin Clipping started 20th April, 28th June (30 helpers) and 27th July, (27 helpers) Wonderful help from a dedicated group of volunteer helpers,
Started transferring hatchlings from incubators to stainless steel in side tanks from 30th July.  Click on photos to enlarge. See video of fin clipped fish returning to raceway. There are virtually zero mortality at this operation. After 30 seconds back in fresh water they are up and away.

Thanks to all those who helped out at the latest fin clipping day on Saturday 20th April. The weather behaved and a good day was had by all. We managed 12,400 smolt and these will be held at the hatchery for a short period prior to release back to the Rangitata river once conditions allow. Fin clipping is a necessary part of our operation that identifies the difference between hatchery reared fish and wild sea run salmon.

As part of the Winnemem Wintu project to return some salmon eggs from NZ to California, a project has started to check NZ Salmon for pathogens which might be present in any salmon eggs that might be transferred to Salmon species in North America. Fisheries scientists, local Iwi, members of the tribe and Fish and Game have been sampling spent female fish, that have spawned, up in the headwaters of the Rakaia, Rangitata and Waitaki rivers. Volunteers from the hatchery have also been helping with the project. Results will be published once all the data is in. It is unlikely that permission would be granted to transfer eggs should there be even a remote chance that pathogens would be introduced to northern hemisphere salmon. Click images to enlarge.

On 6th April, Phil and Alan hosted a group of 1st Nation people from the Winnemem Wintu tribe in California at the hatchery along with local IWI folk, DOC staff, Fish and Game, and land owners. The group came out to the hatchery to familiarize themselves with the operation and to study the native plantings that have taken place in the area to improve the environment for plants and aquatic animals and fish. Both the local IWI and the tribe planted a couple of trees, Kahikatea, to symbolize their connections to the environment and to each other. The tribe are over here in NZ as part of their quest to return some salmon eggs back to their local river in California to start up their own salmon run which has been decimated due to river dams.       

A small ceremony was held at the CSI Fish and Game office in Temuka at the end of March to thank Mark Webb for his service to the McKinnons Creek hatchery and to present him with a small trophy in appreciation of the work he has done on the project. We are sure that the hatchery would not have got of the ground if it wasn't for Mark's efforts with consents, advice, SOPs etc. We hope you have a great retirement Mark. All the best from the hatchery crew.

​Its time for a hatchery update folks as its been a while since the last one, November 23 actually and a lot has happened. Firstly we have received a generous donation to help our finances from the hutholders association of the South Rangitata hut holders group. Many thanks to you all for your support.
The trap went in later in January but there seems to be a general lack of returning fish to the hatchery at least in the early part of the year. Consider this however, we were only able to release 4000 fish in 2022 (1 year old at this point) as this release corresponded with one of the poorest returning years 2 years previous. If only 1% of these return to the river mouth, then that’s not many fish returning  where they then have to negotiate the seals, predatory fish, seabirds and anglers. In fact my opinion is that we won’t see many hatchery returnees this year.
The new (preloved) van is bedding in well and is a joy to ride in compared to what we have had. Father Xmas arrived in it one day in December much to the enjoyment of young Benson, John’s Grandson. We have fin clipped around 6,500 fish in February and these have been released back to the river using the Fish and Game fish transporter.
Things are ticking over quietly and we still have a good number of core helpers to keep the show operating day to day. Our biggest cost is fish food and at nearly $7,000 per tonne, we are mindful that this is our limiting factor both in our ability to raise funds and in the number of fish we can release.

Work has continued at the hatchery over the Spring, there was a good flow in McKinnon's Creek over the Winter and it seems to be holding up into the Spring although we expect it to drop once the irrigators start up. There is a new Leese on the farm from now on, Robin Madison is keeping a close eye on the hatchery and he has been very helpful to us. Please respect his farming operation if you have business at the hatchery. Under strict MPI rules, access to the hatchery is severely limited to those who work there and those who accompany a hatchery worker. Please don't jeopardize our operation by unscheduled visits, always contact someone associated for a visit.

The Hatchery van has been replaced and we are extremely grateful to the following sponsors,             DAVO'S FISHING AND HUNTING, TIMARU.
                             NEWLANDS AND CO LTD ASHBURTON.      
                             PANEL CRAFT, SOUTH ST ASHBURTON
                             NETHERBY GARAGE, ALBERT ST, ASHBURTON 
                             HELMACK ENGINEERING, ASHBURTON. 

Our friends at the Rangitata North Hut holders Association have been very good to us of late with a generous donation to the hatchery. Thank you guys for your commitment  to the hatchery and to the future of Salmon fishing on the Rangitata river.

All the incubators that were once filled with hatching eggs have now been emptied into the tanks inside the hatching shed where 85,000 salmon fry are happily swimming around and learning to accept the coffee ground sized food we are offering them. Another great effort by our combined team.

​We held our final fin clipping day on the 16th July. Another successful event. This makes a total of 81,000 fish fin clipped this year, most of which have been released and the remainder, (14,000), will be let go when the river gets a bit of a fresh.

AGM Held.
​Our group held its AGM at the Fish and Game rooms on 6th July where a number of members turned up.
There was the usual reports, election of officers, and discussions followed by an interesting overview from Steve McKnight, CEO of CSI Fish and Game. Our Chairpersons report is attached. 
The new Committee is as follows:
            Bill Whipp, Linda Whipp, Dennis Laplanche, Fred Reddicliffe,
            Graham Parnell, Grant Rooney, John Manning, Ross Edmonstone,
            Rex Hobbs, Janette Smith, Dave Chambers, Duncan Grant, Barry Gregan,
            Ray Hill, Chris de Joux, John Clark, Warren Stratford & Paul Centofanti
Chairperson, Phil deJoux, Treasurer, Alan Brooks, Secretary, Jackie Manning.