Hatchery Improvements

[gwh]

Conservation Dept has a posting on construction contract opportunities section requesting bids to build a new hatchery building, make raceway improvements and do site work. Bids are due Feb 18, 2010 and cost estimate from dept is $1,400,000 to $2,100,000. In bid specs the work must be done in 305 days after bid award. Hope there some contractors out there looking at the work and are hungry. If the dept does the work it will be like the campground upgrade at Bennett, two years to complete about 6 months of work, it was very painfull to watch. Will be a interesting to see how they coordinate the construction, holding trout to stock and the park being open.

[laker67]

I first heard of this project in 04. At that time, work was scheduled for 07. I wonder what created the lengthy delay? Contractor's beware! MDC will take you to the letter of the specs with no compromise. Corps of Engineers is a walk in the park compared to MDC. I have encountered first hand their ridgid guidelines and no tolerance at Lost Valley Fish Hatchery. It was a great project and I truly enjoyed the work. Just don't plan on taking any shortcuts during the bidding process. Good luck to all prospective bidders.

[drew03cmc]

I am wondering what is wrong with the current hatchery. I didn't see anything wrong with it last week. They hold fish, and essentially do what they are supposed to do.

[jjtroutbum]

I am wondering what is wrong with the current hatchery. I didn't see anything wrong with it last week. They hold fish, and essentially do what they are supposed to do.

Memory is crappy so I could be wrong but

I think that the current set up does not allow for quarantine of stock in the runs an should anything infect one run all get it.

[laker67]

Memory is crappy so I could be wrong but

I think that the current set up does not allow for quarantine of stock in the runs an should anything infect one run all get it.

I have the same memory loss. In addition to what you said, as I recall, production was unable to keep up with demand. They have been recieving supplemental stockings from SOH for the past few years. In order to produce their 2.5 fish per fisherman, rearing facilities need to be increased. This was told to me by the hatchery superintendent back in 04. I'm sure that demand has increased even more since then.

[oneshot]

Plus I'm wondering if it could be because of the problems with flooding they've had the last couple years.

oneshot

[NoLuck]

Maybe somewhere in the budget there will be a little money for that fish cleaning station that they keep putting off. Then the gut fisherman will have to change their tactics. But on another note I'm not really sure that the fish shortage is due to having enough space in the hatchery. I can almost see them doing something about the Blue Herons getting to the fish in the hatchery too. Every time I get there a couple hours before the whistle and wait for the store to open I see Herons fishing in the hatchery. That has got to take a toll on the output too.

Rich

[hfdhoosier]

Montauk has a new fish cleaning station built. The guy at the lodge said they are gonna grind up all the fish scraps and feed them in the hatchery. Probably save alot of money on feed.

[NoLuck]

Dennis I'm glad to hear Montauk has got their fish cleaning station done. You would think that with the amount of people that frequent Bennett that it would be a no brainer. I know at Mark Twain Lake the fish cleaning station gets its fish ground up to make fish food also. I don't know exactly what the trout get fed but you would think that it could at least offset some of the cost associated with feeding them.

[jdmidwest]

Montauk has a new fish cleaning station built. The guy at the lodge said they are gonna grind up all the fish scraps and feed them in the hatchery. Probably save alot of money on feed.

That station had a few problems, the wheelchair rail did not fit the base poured in the concrete. When I last saw it, the rail was missing.

That was a .5 million dollar expense to allow the local game warden to sit in his truck and catch over limit fisherman instead of going out and watching the stream. It may pay for itself.