I've been reading about how carcasses of spawned out salmon are an important source of nutriants in the rivers and that we are only getting 3% of the historical number of carcasses back in the system now. Since it looks like the hatcherys are going to be swamped with cohos this fall, it seems like it would be a good thing to disribute these carcases into the rivers. I don't know if there is already a program to do this, but it might be something local fishing clubs could volunteer for. I sent an e-mail to WDFW on this, but haven't head back from them yet. I think returning these carcasses to the rivers would be a better use for than putting them in catfood or whatever they do with them. I heard the Wildcat Steelhead Club was doing some carcass distributing on the Skagit last year. Does anyone know about this? Now would be the time to start organizing. I'll volunteer.

This is a great program, You can get the carcasses at your local hatchery. You will need to cut off all the tails so the stream survey techs can identify that they are not spawned out and were planted in stream for food.
Thank You.

Keta;
check out http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/do/newreal/aug2800.htm
Guts
edit
Damn; I can never seem to get those links to work. If you go out to the wdfw site, find news releases and look at 28 August, you will find some information on what the state plans on doing with the surplus.

[This message has been edited by Fishguts (edited 09-26-2000).]

hey. if you get any info on that I would be glad to help.

gop

I'm finding that there isn't much organization to this carcass distribution work. If you are interested in helping you just have to search out a local group that is doing it. Thanks to people like the Kalama Sportsmen Club for getting it done. www.tdn.com/archive/1010area2.htm
If anyone knows of other groups that need help doing this, maybe you could post contact info here.

Keta, --- For more information on distributing carcases on the Skagit call the following members of the Wildcat Steelhead Club.

Tom Higgins - 757-3121 or 708-1325 days

Bill Reinard - 707-0407

They will refer you to the proper commitee members. - Plunker

[This message has been edited by Plunker (edited 10-11-2000).]

Thanks Plunker, I tried calling their number listed in the phone book, but never got an anwser.

Plunker,

You keep some pretty good company. Those guys know the Skagit well. Bill has pretty much donated his life after retirement to the fish of Skagit County. I have had the pleasure of carcass distribution with him many times. Ask him to give you his speech on salmon bringing in marine nutrients in from the ocean that are deposited in freshwater spawning and rearing areas.

A word on using hatchery fish for distribution. They need to be certified disease free from a pathologist.

DaveD