Lake trout fingerling. - FWS photo

Beginning in September 2007 through June of 2008 Jordan River NFH staff will be conducting an investigation of cataract incidence in cultured lake trout at the facility.  

High prevalence of “nuclear” cataracts in the Seneca Lake strain lake trout has been documented during pre stocking health and quality examinations in the past. Cataracts could possibly inhibit their survival.  

Staff at Jordan River NFH hypothesize that sunlight in open raceway conditions causes the incidence of cataracts and increases the development of existing cataracts.

Two separate lots of Seneca Lake strain fish were formed from fingerlings representing all eggs takes from the fall of 2006.

The “treatment” group is being kept indoors in a “sunlight inhibited” or dark environment.  The other group, the control, is being reared under standard conditions out of doors in the open raceways. 

During the entire rearing cycle random samples will be collected with a total of 600 pairs of eyes to be examined from each group per month.

The eyes will be categorized as to the presence of and stage of the cataract formation.  A final report will be available by September 2008.