The permit process for Almaguin Fish Improvement Community Hatchery was started by email back in Jan. Answer back recieved in Feb.
documents received in March. Applications filled out and hand delivered to Parry Sound on March 23.
Last year we applied to The Ontario Federation Of Anglers and Hunters for a grant to buy equipment upgrades to our hatchery and were successful and received a cheque for $2899.49.
The cheque was used to purchase a 55 gallon graduated tank, with lid/cover. Six McDonald hatching jars, six jar hangers, a 12v, 360 GPH submersible pump and a Emperor aquatic 40 Watt sterilizer from Fish Farm supply in Elmira. It also helped pay for the extensive rebuild that happened within the hatchery last year. We will also apply for funding this year as the OFAH has grant money available again this year for Hatchery’s.
We will be once again borrowing the MNRF net from Parry Sound to collect fish. Arrangements have been made to go and pick it up again this year.
Last year we had a hard time trying to beat Mother Nature and we lost. The rain, the water levels, the 3 runs of fish and the many days took its tole on our volunteers. The water temps soaring to 15 deg. in the hatchery produced a fungus which we will be focusing on trying to overcome this year. Ministry hatchery’s use a drip system which we are investigating on making. The eggs are usually in the jars for 23 days before they hatch and become fry according to ministry guidelines.
We have made great strides in the collection of the eggs and finally had success in using fullers earth to coat the eggs to prevent clumping of the eggs in the process. This year we will be developing a water hardening process of the eggs for all to see at the dock. This should help us out a lot as we are a small number of volunteers.
Purchases we are targeting this year, if funding allows might be, a large water pump for cleaning , a small generator, a future net, holding pens, live well and bubblers to aid in the fish recovering after being stressed, and a trailer to make our hatchery portable and useful for storage.
It has been brought to our attention from the MNRF hatchery in Manitoulin, that the proper temperature for walleye eggs is 10 deg. C while in incubation. That being said we may have to provide a chiller to stop the temperature fluctuations and provide a better filtering system within.
To date the ice is still on the lakes so I think we could expect a late run this year.
THANKS for your continued support!
