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Show Things Buzzing During Winter At Panguitch State Fish Hatchery What could be going on at a state fish hatchery in the winter months? According to Howard Prince, superintendent for the past 27 years at the Panguitch Fish Hatchery and Ross A. Smith, assistant superintendent, there are plenty of things going. Winter months is the time when maintenance work is done. They work on the raceways to keep them in shape for the fish. They repair all the nets, build screens, and work with the millions of fish and eggs they receive during the winter months. So far this year they have received over a million eggs already and are expecting another one and a half to reach 14 million more. They get their eggs from the big Perry Egan Hatchery In BickneU. When they receive them, In the 10 gallon cooler, usually a tiaU a million at a time in three coolers, they weigh them, putting 32 ounces of eggs per tray, then put them Into an incubator. The water is kept at 54 degrees and comes from the hatchery springs located in the cliffs behind the hatchery, which according to Mr Prince is very good water. Once a month this water is checked for any change and the quality of the Inflow and out flow water. The outflow goes Into the Mammotrh creek. k After the eggs have hatched and until they become about 2 inches long they are called f rys. These frys are kept in large tanks inside the hatchery building, and they are fed ac cording to body weight. "The biggest change in the hatchery has been in feed," Prince said. "We used to pick up dead horses and cows for feed. The shed we kept these carcasses in was terribly stinky and it seems we are still spraying for flies accumulated then!" Prince said. Now the fish are. fed prepared mush. (Continued on Page 8) Three dirt ponds at Panguitch State Flsta Hatchery arc part of the operation at the facility south of Panguitch where fUh raUtag continue throughout the year. Activities are different than summer, but Just as vital to operations. jjjj " Panguitch State Fish Hatchery superintendent Howard Prince, left, and Ross A. Smith, keep (Continued from Page 1) When the fish become two to five Inches long, they are called fingerlings. These fish are kept in the raceways just south of the hatchery building. The 100,000 holdovers are kept In two series of raceways and three dirt ponds located on the grounds. The fish are moved from tank to tank by putting them in large buckets. At this time they are weighed and it is possible to determine how many fish are at the hatchery. These fish will be planted in small lakes, reservoirs, and streams, in the spring. About May there will be 300,000 to 350,000 fingerlings three to five inches long, planted into Panguitch Lake. Right now there are about 700,000 fish altogether at the hatchery. Prince said, "The office is where the headaches are." things going throughout the year at the facility. Things Buzzing During Winter At Panguitch State Fish Hatchery Here they keep records of the fish from the time they come as eggs until they are planted, the amount fed, sickness if any and rate of growth. Smith says, "The biggest problem with our fish is being over crowded. This causes the fish to get bacteria gill disease. Once the gills are irritated bacteria sets in fast." Treatment for this disease is given the fish once a month in the winter months and every two weeks in the spring as the fish get larger and more crowded. A dripulator is used with 30 ounces of Hyamine to 4 gallons of water, put into the tanks and let drip for one hours treatment, once a day for three days. The disease, if started between treatments can be spotted at feeding time if the fish act different or start crowding together. Prince said the fishing proclamation has had very few changes this year. There is no limit as to the size fish caught. Eight fish is the limit per license holder. The biggest change was made for the children under 12 fishing. They still do not need a license but their limits are included with the adults limit. It is fun to spot a blue trout, or mutation, swimming among the normal trouts. "The blue fish don't grow very fast, they don't reproduce, they are just fun for the people to see." Smith stressed, "We welcome visitors and school tours. If you want a tour please call in advance." Last year they had over 8,500 visitors with the biggest months for the sight seers being June through August. |