Implementation and testing of hatchery enhancements at Allegheny National Fish Hatchery to increase production and improve health and quality of juvenile bloater raised for restoration stocking in Lake Ontario

Doris Mason (USFWS, doris_mason@fws.gov), Brian Layton (USFWS), Jake Drotar (USFWS), Autumn Wiese (USFWS), Larry Miller (USFWS)

This project installed 8 15-foot circular fiberglass tanks to replace 4 45-year-old concrete raceways. The project also assessed a side-by-side production level comparison of fish health, water use, fish growth, hatchery operational costs and, hatchery production by comparing the current serial water use concrete raceways vs Cornel-style circular fiberglass tanks operated in single water pass through mode. Existing raceways were modified for the installation of 8 Cornel-style circular fiberglass tanks operated in singular water pass through mode. An adjacent concrete raceway series in the same raceway building will be operated as it has been historically for coregonine. These will constitute the two main treatments for this study. Although the proposed tank design is constructed as a single water pass system, the design can accommodate future addition of a recirculation system to reduce water use.