WELCOME

TO

MCINTYRE CREEK HATCHERY

An unoffishial reportcompiled by Ray Biggs, Work Project Coordinator

Whitehorse Correctional CentreJuly 2001

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Dam at McIntyre Creek Hatchery

HISTORY

The operation of the McIntyre Creek hatchery was taken over from contractors and the federalDepartment of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in 1996. The Superintendent of WCC felt that this was agood program in that inmates were trained in techniques of Chinook salmon incubation and rearing through“hands on” involvement.

McINTYRE CREEK HATCHERY

The McIntyre Creek hatchery is located just south of McIntyre Creek on Mountainview Drive inWhitehorse. This site was chosen because of the constant supply of ground water that surfacesthroughout the brushy area above the dam. The water runs into a drainage ditch, which is dammed near

the upstream end to create a reservoir for theproject. Water temperature generally remains at 4 to6 degrees Celsius year round. The water intakes forthe project are constructed with 18th inch perforatedmetal screens, to keep out debris. The intakes areconnected to the incubation boxes from August toMarch, and to the rearing troughs from April to July.When the fry are transferred to the rearing troughs,the water supply is also transferred. In the ditchdownstream of the hatchery is another screen to trapany fry that might accidentally be spilled. The screenalso dams up the water somewhat, which helps to

create a settling pond. Fish faeces and unused fish food settle out in this channel.

This hatchery works in co-operation with the Whitehorse Rapids hatchery and the federal Department ofFisheries and Oceans. The McIntyre Creek hatchery collects its eggs from Tatchun Creek nearCarmacks and the Takhini River, and the fry are tagged and then released to their natal streams. Taggingis usually timed to take place after the Whitehorse Rapids Hatchery tags and releases their fry into Michieor Wolfe Creeks. Corrections and the Whitehorse Rapids Hatchery share tagging equipment, and both hirePhylis Nelsons to conduct the tagging.

Some of the McIntyre eggs are dispersed to schools around the Yukon in October or November to beused in classroom incubators as part of the “Salmon in the Classroom” program. A few Morley RiverChinook eggs are sometimes taken for use in southern schools.

RELEVANCE

The objective of the fish hatchery program is to field test and develop equipment and methods which couldbe used for salmon restoration at the small community level in the Yukon. The overall goal of the programis to conserve salmon stocks in British Columbia and the Yukon. WCC personnel will help to achieve thisgoal by operating and developing the hatchery and by helping to raise awareness and skill levels in the fieldof salmon habitat and stock restoration among WCC staff and inmates, gaining expertise and employmentfor inmates and/or current and past fishing industry workers in the area.

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BUDGET and CONTRIBUTIONS

For the first three years of operations, the federal government, namely the “Yukon Alaska River Panel”,funded the McIntyre Creek Hatchery. In 1999, the funding shifted to the Department of Fisheries andOceans, namely the “Habitat Restoration and SalmonEnhancement Program”.

The Whitehorse Correctional Centre contributesapproximately 30% of Gerald Fromme's time, the useof a YTG pickup, and inmate involvement but does notcontribute any actual funding. The Centre alsoprovides accounting services for the program,managing a total budget of approximately $20,000 eachyear.

STAFF INVOLVEMENT

Gerald Fromme is the leader of operations at the McIntyre Creek Hatchery. Gerry works in cooperationwith Trix Tanner, Education Coordinator for DFO. He maintains the hatchery, conducts repairs,coordinates inmate involvement, faxes data to Trix on a regular basis throughout the season.

Over the years, many staff have shown a high level of interest and have been involved in the variousphases. During the weekends, when the outside crew (staff) are off, the day staff escort the hatcherycrew (inmates) to the hatchery to complete the required checks and maintenance. The WCC FinanceOfficer assists in preparing funding applications, manages the budget, distributes petty cash, accountspayable, prepares quarterly financial reports and assists with the ordering of supplies.

Gerry Fromme consults with Trix Tanner regarding the overall operation of the hatchery. Trix assists RayBiggs and Gerry with the preparation of applications and reports, helps conduct fish tagging and egg takes,and coordinates the “Salmon in the Classroom” program in local schools.

INMATE INVOLVEMENT

There are always one or two specially trained minimum security inmates on the hatchery crew as thehatchery is checked daily. During the winter months, the hatchery is checked to ensure sufficient waterflow and to clean the screens in the dam. Once the fry are placed into the rearing troughs, the troughs areopened daily, cleaned, information is gathered and documented and the feeders are reset and filled. Duringthe summer months, the crew is increased to two or three and during the tagging process, to as many asfive. Inmates assist and are directly involved in any and all habitat restoration, salmon releases, as well astheir involvement at the hatchery.

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Netting broodstock

Broodstock holding pens

Transporting broodstock to holding pens

Egg take and milt collection, Little Tahltan River

Transporting eggs on ice

Fertilizing eggs at the box

PHASES

In August, male and female Chinook salmon (broodstock) are caught and held in holding devices untilthey are mature.

Once the adult fish mature, the eggs are taken andfertilized.

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Incubation boxes in foreground

Heath tray incubation system

The eggs are then placed in trays in the incubation boxes at the hatchery. Daily checks are donethroughout the winter months to ensure sufficient water flow is present. Usually twice during the wintermonths the eggs are sorted to remove dead or unfertilized eggs from the fertilized eggs. This is done to

prevent bacterial contamination of the good eggs.

In December the eggs hatch into Alevins. The Alevinsfeed off the egg sack, which remains attached to theirbelly, until March at which time the egg sack is absorbed.

At this point the Alevins have grown into Fry and aretransferred into the rearing troughs where automatic 24-hour feeders are set.

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Rearing troughs

G Minnow trap

Trapping fry - sampling

Through spring and summer, fry trapping and stream maintenance is completed as required.

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Tagging

Salmon releases

In July, a professional tagger is flown in from Vancouver to do the actual tagging.

The fish are anaesthetized, the adipose fin is clippedoff, and the tag is injected into the fish’s nose.

The fish then flow through a quality controldevice (metal detector) to ensure they havereceived a tag, and then back into rearingtroughs.

In late July the fry are transported totheir natal streams and released.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As Work Project Coordinator, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Fromme for his highlevel of interest and effort. Without his enthusiasm, care and patience, this program would not be assuccessful. Thanks to Wally Sheardown for the excellent job of handling the budget. Thanks to Kelly-Anne Malcomson for all her administrative support. And thanks to all the day staff who keep their eyeon our ‘babes in the water’ on the weekends.

Respectfully submitted to the WCC Programs Committee,

Ray BiggsJuly 2001