Pacific NW Biologist Talking About Salmon Genetics

[Yankee Troller]

If you haven't seen the video I've posted the link below. I was trying to embed it into this post, but I couldn't figure that out. Maybe someone more computer savvy can below. I apologize if you don't have Facebook and can't see it. I find it interesting that certain NYS DEC biologist belittle you when you try to bring up genetics at meetings. Instead of studying it, like a scientist is supposed to do, their answer is there is no proof to support that genetics matter. I attend every meeting I can, and a certain biologist has said this numerous times, and at times has raised his voice spouting this out. We have a hatchery that is outdated and run down, and the people there do an amazing job with what they have, but telling us your milking jacks becasue they have superior sperm drives me nuts. Is this part of the reason we are seeing smaller and smaller Chinook on Lake Ontario. We don't need thousands of Salmon to meet the egg quota. Why can't we be more selective?

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1662888131070674

 

10th Place LOC Salmon Weight					20th Place LOC Salmon Weight
Year	Fall	Summer	Spring		Year	Fall	Summer	Spring
2025	27.10	27.15	22.00		2025	26.08	26.07	20.10
2024	27.02	25.04	22.03		2024	26.05	24.10	20.10
2023	27.05	26.02	21.10		2023	26.07	25.02	20.07
2022	27.15	27.00	22.10		2022	27.04	26.01	22.08
2021	29.03	28.04	24.10		2021	27.15	26.11	23.08
2020	28.04	28.06	COVID		2020	27.14	27.04	COVID
2019	29.12	27.15	21.01		2019	28.13	27.00	20.02
2018	29.05	25.12	21.06		2018	28.11	25.04	20.01
2017	30.08	27.09	21.11		2017	29.09	26.01	20.06
2016	32.01	28.11	21.11		2016	31.04	27.07	20.06
2015	29.02	25.15	20.12		2015	28.04	25.06	20.06
2014	30.04	27.04	21.04		2014	29.03	25.02	20.06
2013	33.04	32.01	26.00		2013	32.11	30.09	24.11
2012	32.09	31.07	27.04		2012	31.11	30.03	25.15
2011	32.04	29.00	23.14		2011	31.06	28.00	20.02
2010	34.06	No Data	No Data		2010	33.02	No Data	No Data
2009	31.15	26.02	No Data		2009	No Data	25.09	No Data
2005	30.01	No Data	No Data		2005	29.06	No Data	No Data
Average	29.84	27.44	22.35		Average	28.78	26.42	21.07

Edited September 11, 2025 by Yankee Troller

[Gill-T]

I don’t think any scientist worth their salt doesn’t think genetics doesn’t play a role in traits. Not sure why our fish managers are fighting this. It is a very easy policy/workflow to create and follow during egg collecting time at Altmar …don’t take eggs or sperm from fish under 17 lbs.  Done. This follows the stated policy of lake managers to manage Lake Ontario for a trophy fishery. They are not following their own stated objectives by milking two year olds. 

Edited September 11, 2025 by Gill-T

[whaler1]

In 2001 Fall derby 15 of the top 20 were over 40 

[Gator]

Their argument regarding better quality sperm seems reasonable, and I assume it's supported by data. But if the jacks ran the river to spawn as juveniles, that trait might be passed on to their progeny, which is Yankee's concern. This isn't a certainty, but it seems reasonable and is likely a least a contributing factor - I would think though that this would show up in the age distribution of spawners? I'm sure that there are multiple impacts at play, but...

 

...IMHO the juice isn't worth the squeeze (pun intended).

[kisutch]

Percy Walkus Salmon Hatchery, Rivers Inlet British Columbia. Nuff said. They do it the only way it should be done. 

 

Kisutch 

 

God Bless Dr Howard Tanner 

 

Former Lake Michigan Stakeholder 

 

Lake Michigan Lake Trout Gillnetters Association Join Now " We pledge to kill them all"

 

Alewife what?