Free The History Of Chinook Salmon In South Dakota Essay Sample

The Chinook salmon is a great example of how restocking can create a viable fish population. Chinook salmon range naturally in United States from California to Alaska. However, South Dakota’s population is landlocked so how did they get there?
The answer lies in the process of stocking. In 1967 the first attempts were made to stock the Great Lakes with Chinook salmon. After it was seen that the program was a viable one, the eggs from Great Lake area Chinook salmon were collected and reared before being released in South Dakota’s Lake Oahe and other preselected areas. The first eggs were taken to South Dakota in the fall of 1981 and released in 1982.
Since this time, South Dakota has continued to stock Chinook salmon within Lake Oahe. A steady population has still not been fully establish and requires restock each year. Natural life process of the Chinook salmon require that the Salmon have access to a river leading to salt water in order to spawn. The Chinook salmon dies after spawning. Since Lake Oahe is landlocked, the eggs must be collected annually and raised in a fishery to insure the population remains there.
The Chinook salmon is a favorite amongst South Dakota fisherman and has become an important economic and ecologic experiment for South Dakota Fish and Game. The history of the Chinook salmon in South Dakota is one that shows how the interference of humans can both help and harm a species. By looking at the history of Chinook salmon in South Dakota one can better understand the ecological processes taking place within South Dakota.