Seneca Nation Fish Hatchery has another successful year, will open new classroom soon
By Tami Watt, Editor
Photo above: Newly built classroom the dept. hopes to open by fall time
The Seneca Nation Allegany Fish and Wildlife Department’s Fish Hatchery was established in 2012 to raise and stock the waters of Ohi:yo’ with walleye that have been in decline over the last 30 years due to habitat erosion, affects from the construction of the Kinzua Dam in the 1965.
Since then, the walleye population has made a tremendous come back in the reservoir with an abundance of females that were once scarce. As Fishery Manager Shane Titus explains, “We were soliciting females from fisherman on the banks, asking them to trade one female for five males, just so we could get the eggs from the female.” Public awareness and social media have aided the hatchery’s efforts in preserving females for egg collection and release.
Through a grant with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Fish Hatchery operations run exclusively on renewable energy which requires minimal maintenance and financial stress. All electrical requirements are provided to the hatchery by use of solar panels. By using solar power we are able to remain “off the grid.” The hatchery was constructed entirely by staff starting in 2010, it took 2 years to complete facility and operations started in 2012.
Years of hard work and perseverance have paid off. The hatchery now has an abundance of females running through the waters of Ohi:yo’ and the challenge of securing eggs to fertilize are far gone. The Seneca Nation Fish and Wildlife successfully replenishes our waters with walleye each year in an effort to promote self- sufficiency and a healthy environment on our Territories.
This season, the walleye that were caught were larger in size than any year before and were hooked miles off our Territories, some as far up the river as Hinsdale, NY and as far down as Eldred, PA.
All females are tagged by the Seneca Nation Fish and Wildlife Department and data can be entered online at www.senecaconservation.com. This helps the staff retrieve stats and aids in operation.
Fishery Managers Shane Titus and Larry Becelia are responsible for current system of mating fish, fertilizing eggs, and releasing fry. The Department anticipates being able to produce 2.5 million fry, between 15,000-25,000 walleye fingerlings and 1,000 -1,500 juveniles into the Allegheny Reservoir annually.
The set-up is almost an exact replica of the state’s massive operation but on a smaller scale and with well water. Water ran at the hatchery is provided by gravity fed natural spring wells located on site, with a backup ground well (electric) to be used for emergency purposes. Using well water saves staff the extra step of sanitizing the eggs from dirt and debris compared to other fresh water sources.
With almost 10 years of success under their belt with the Fish Hatchery, the Fish and Wildlife Department were awarded another grant to build a cabin that will hold classes that focus on wildlife and outdoor safety. The classroom will house a full kitchen for farm to table style food preparation which aids in food safety, food freshness, food seasonality, and self-sufficiency. The farm to table model promotes acquiring food directly from the producer with less preservatives, less pollution to deliver goods, and benefits the local farmers and economy.
The staff has plans to host another instructional session on preparing a deer for processing and consuming. A large hanger is setup for dressing wild game. Fish and Wildlife also plan to host hunter safety courses for members that hunt off territory.
The Fish Hatchery also has a catch and release pond for the community to enjoy at their site off I-86, Red House, exit 19 that is open from April 1st – November 1st. The gate is open until dusk.
