Fish Hatchery, Research Station, Salmon River Upgrades
Highlight $5 Million in Local Lake Ontario Settlement Projects
02/06/08

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Major upgrades for the Salmon River fish hatchery and long-needed riverbank repairs for the Salmon River are part of a far-reaching plan to restore the fisheries of Lake Ontario and its tributaries, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. The plan features nearly $5 million in improvements in Oswego County.

The revitalization plan is being funded with money from the 2006 settlement of the state's natural resources damages lawsuit against Occidental Chemical Corp. dealing with pollution that devastated sportfishing in Lake Ontario and the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers. DEC, as trustee of New York's natural resources, developed the restoration plan with public input. In all, the plan will fund 42 projects along Lake Ontario from Niagara to St. Lawrence counties that will enhance fish habitat and research, promote angler outreach and improve public fishing access.

"These projects will reconnect New Yorkers to fishing spots - old and new - and boost their catch, while improving the health of the Lake Ontario fishery,'' said Grannis, who three decades ago came to Niagara Falls as a New York State assemblyman to help investigate the Love Canal toxic waste disaster. "It's good news for the fish. It's good news for anglers. And it's good news for the communities in the Lake Ontario region."

The $12 million resolution is one of the largest in the nation for a natural resources damages claim based on recreational fishing losses. The settlement represents the final claim in a lawsuit the state filed against Occidental's predecessor, Hooker Chemical, in 1983. It addressed damages to the fishery caused by the discharge of dangerous chemicals from the company's main plant in Niagara Falls and from other sites and facilities either owned or operated by Occidental.

DEC began soliciting ideas for the spending plan in early 2007, holding a series of public meetings across the Lake Ontario region. Approximately 150 proposals were considered and 77 were advanced to a panel that scored the ideas. Of those, 42 were selected: 25 to improve access, 14 to enhance habitat and resources and three to promote fishing in the region.

Oswego County Highlights

-- One major project calls for upgrades to the renowned state-run Salmon River fish hatchery. It calls for a comprehensive study to evaluate key questions regarding water supply and hatchery practices and develop a plan to improve trout and salmon culture at the facility. The plan estimates about $2.2 million to complete the study and carry out recommended changes.

-- Another initiative is a new research effort to better understand the trout and salmon in Lake Ontario by using a new automated fish marking trailer ($1.5 million) to tag Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Lake Trout, and other species. The technology, widely used in the Pacific Northwest, will allow DEC to label and track upwards of 2.5 million fish annually - significantly improving DEC's ability to study species in Lake Ontario and its tributaries.

-- Stream bank improvements to an 18-mile stretch of the Salmon River, one of the most extensively fished waterways in the state. Over time, river flows and intense angler use of the banks has built up material in certain channels, creating pools and eroding banks. The project aims to alleviate problems and take angler traffic away from the more susceptible points. ($500,000)

Salmon River fish hatchery aquarium/interpretive displays. Every year, the hatchery records more than 100,000 visitors, most of them anglers. This project would renovate existing displays, and fund design and construction of an aquaria system in the lobby. The present aquaria system, built in 1980, no longer functions properly. Plans also include an underwater camera to view migrating and spawning salmonids. ($100,000)

Boat launch/ice-fishing access on Sandy Pond. Exact site to be determined. ($500,000)
(Note: Several of the selected projects hinge on factors such as land acquisition. If a project proves unworkable, it might be replaced with the next highest-scoring proposal that did not make the initial cut.)

Beyond Oswego

In addition, the restoration plan includes funding for other notable system-wide projects designed to improve research and boost the fishery. Highlights include:

Sea Lamprey control barriers. This grant will be matched by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to construct "low-head barriers" that block Sea Lamprey migration and spawning in Lake Ontario tributaries. Sea Lampreys, a parasite that attach to a host fish, have contributed to the decline of sportfish, especially lake trout. ($60,000)

Walleye spawning habitat fund. DEC staff will use this grant to assess tributaries (including the Oswego River, Little Sandy Creek, Black River and Oswegatchie River) to determine the presence of Walleye and spawning habitat to help improve fish production. ($200,000)

Hatchery improvements at the Cape Vincent Fisheries Station (Jefferson County) to help launch stocking programs for Walleye, Northern Pike and Muskellunge. In recent years, local officials and coalitions have begun repairs at the former federal fish hatchery. DEC, which now owns the facility, anticipates that these stocking programs could provide measurable improvements to Lake Ontario sportfisheries. ($1.4 million)

Northern Pike Spawning Marsh Rehabilitation. Historic pike spawning grounds have been wrecked by the proliferation of Typha (cattails), especially over the last 15 years. DEC surveys have documented a decline in Northern Pike over that period. Part of the project involves using a special excavator to cut channels in Typha mats and outlet ditches in the Eastern Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River area. ($200,000)

Fisheries Promotion Assistance. This grant will be used to develop a new "I Love NY Great Lakes Fishing" brochure to be distributed at sportfishing tournaments, fairs and other public events. While some counties typically promote local fishing sites, currently there is no promotion for the Great Lakes Region as a whole. Approximately 40 percent of the anglers who fish Lake Ontario and the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers are from out of state. ($100,000)

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