Bridge group proposed Tehama-Colusa net pen to help water imprinting
The Bridge Group [Gold Gate Fishermen’s Association, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association, Sac River Settlement Contractors and NorCal Guides & Sportsmen’s Association] has proposed a program to have a net pen in the Tehama Colusa Canal which is protected with a predator net as well as the net pen that was donated from Coastside, Fishing Club for the use of this program.
Coleman National Fish Hatchery will provide a little bit more than 400,000 Chinook fall run salmon to be tracked from the facility in the next couple of weeks to this net pen where they will be fed and raised and imprinted on main stem water.
The hypothesis of this experimental study is that if chinook salmon are raised on main stem Sacramento water that they will actually imprint better than trucking them and could return at a much higher rate than Battle Creek. Coleman raised fish stray at a 99% rate when trucked.
Every year we’re faced with new hydrological conditions as well as flows and temperature thresholds that kill thousands if not millions of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River.
We must adapt to the current demand and conditions of water operations and build infrastructure out on the main stem such as a new fish hatchery so that we can have diversification of our release strategies that still provide high survival and high return rates of adults to the upper Sacramento Valley.
If you like this program, please support us by signing up for a NorCal Guides & Sportsmen’s Association $30 membership, or purchase a hat, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
A big thank you to the Bridge Group members that helped make this possible.
