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It is that time of year again when North Canterbury Fish
& Game are calling on volunteers to help with the annual fin
clipping of salmon at the Montrose Hatchery. We are planning on
fin clipping the salmon this weekend the 21st & 22nd of March
2009. Volunteers are invited to meet at the Yaldhurst Pub at 8am
each day to organise transportation or you can arrange your own
and meet at Montrose at 9:15am.
Fin clipping is a cost effective and widely accepted
way of marking the salmon to enable monitoring the number of released
salmon that return to the Montrose hatchery. Tagged/fin clipped
fish are easily distinguished from the wild salmon that also spawn
in the Montrose Stream. The process of fin clipping involves placing
60 - 80 salmon in a fish bin containing an anesthetising agent where
they are temporarily knocked out (for a few minutes) so volunteers
can fin clip them using curved surgical eye scissors. They are then
placed back into the raceway where they immediately recover in the
fresh water.
If you are thinking of making your own way to
Montrose, head south a few kilometres from the Rakaia Gorge Bridge
on SH72 and turn right at the first road, Blackford Road. Head up
Blackford Road for approximately 6km and you will see a Fish &
Game banner on the Montrose gate on your right. Head down the track,
stick to the right of the ponds and you will arrive at the hatchery.
Thanks for your support.
Steve Terry
Fish & Game Officer
North Canterbury Fish & Game
Email: sterry@fishandgame.org.nz |
