Late 20th Century
1968: Pacific salmon stocking initiated in the Salmon River, 22,000 Coho.
1970: Pacific salmon stocking continues with the addition of 22,000 chinook and 22,000 coho. Success very limited due to sea lamprey predation.
1972: Successful sea lamprey control initiated in Lake Ontario tributaries.
1974: Large runs of Pacific salmon established in the Salmon River. Steelhead stocking initiated in Salmon River adding diversity and an extended sport fishing season.
1976: Chemical contamination (mirex and PCB) of Lake Ontario fish discovered. Stocking of Pacific salmon in Lake Ontario discontinued. Ban imposed on lake and tributaries for possession of salmonids. Continued stocking of 40,000 Pacific salmon in Salmon River to monitor contamination levels.
1979: Ban rescinded and Pacific salmon stocking is resumed.
1980 Salmon River Hatchery built to raise Chinook, Coho, Brown trout, and Steelhead for the Lake Ontario fishery.
1981: Resident Brown trout stocking of the mainstem of the Salmon River for a put and take fishery is suspended. Emphasis is totally put on migratory salmonids.
1982 - 1994: Pacific salmon sport fishery in the Salmon River highly successful. Steelhead become increasingly important as they provide a late fall, winter, and spring fishery. Tremendous economic growth in the Salmon River Corridor as a result of the salmonid fishery. Legal snagging of Pacific salmon is resulting in a growing social problem associated with the fishery. Skamania summer run steelhead are stocked in the Salmon River to add a summer component to the fishery and extend the season.
1995: Ban on snagging of Pacific salmon enacted by NYSDEC.
1995: Re-introduction of landlocked Atlantic salmon to the Salmon River (60,000 fry). The addition of Atlantic salmon is to provide a summer fishery and offset any perceived loss of revenue from the end of snagging. Examine the possible restocking of Brown trout to create a resident summer fishery in the main stem of the Salmon River. Success of these programs cannot take place until year round minimum flows are established in the river.
1996: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. licensing of Salmon River hydro projects requiring year round flows, providing better conditions for the development of a summer fishery and natural reproduction of salmonids. Summer recreational whitewater releases included in the license to diversify recreational use of the river. 30,000 Atlantic salmon yearlings stocked in the Salmon River as an annual stocking.
1997: Minimum flows go into effect. Significant natural reproduction of Chinook salmon is documented. Aquatic insect life (mayflies) increasing and diversifying. NYS Legislative line item provides funding for new wells and refurbishing of existing wells, improving quality of stocked salmonids at the Salmon River Hatchery. Four new circular raceways capable of raising 100,000 Atlantics are constructed at the hatchery.
1998: First return of adult Atlantic salmon occurs in the Salmon River from the 1996 stocking, providing a limited summer fishery. Skamania summer steelhead and Atlantic salmon are raised in the new circular tanks at the hatchery. Chinook and Coho salmon runs are at record highs. NYSDEC Salmon River Stewards Program initiated on the Salmon River.
1999: New stocking and marketing methods initiated for steelhead in the Salmon River to enhance survival and increase returns that had recently been declining. Closure of Trout, Orwell, and Laney Brooks to angling during the spawning season to protect adult Steelhead and Salmon from illegal harvest. Annual monitoring of reproduction of chinook in the mainstem is initiated by NYSDEC and USGS at Tuninson Labs. Base flow studies initiated by NYSDEC and New York Rivers united to quantify changes to the river as a result of FERC licensing. Studies initiated by SUNYESF to determine potential habitat requirements for juvenile Atlantic salmon in the mainstem of the river. 120,000 Atlantic salmon fry stocked in the mainstem to support research. USGS initiates studies looking at juvenile habitat for Steelhead and Atlantic salmon and the competitive interaction of the species in Trout and Orwell Brooks. NYSDEC initiates a mainstem biological survey to look at post base flow species diversity.
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