Fall harvest sometimes enlists the help of everyone on staff for collecting the fish via seine. USFWS Photo.

The crew of the Genoa National Fish Hatchery (NFH) wrapped up the 2008 pond production season with great success! Walleye, yellow perch, black crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, and fathead minnows are the main species cultured and harvested from the ponds at the hatchery. All of these fish are annually produced in order to fulfill fisheries requests throughout the region, as well as serve as vital host fish for native mussel restoration. Fall fingerlings, which range in size from 1”-6” depending on species, are often in high demand by fish management biologists due to their increased survivability in the wild. Other management objectives include enhancing recreational fishing opportunities, research, tribal trust programs, and more recently, for the biological control of non-native carp. Overall, 40,490 walleye, 16,171 sauger, 38,830 yellow perch, 111300 bluegills, 39,264 black crappie, 8,887 largemouth bass, and 11,407 smallmouth bass, and 13,338,600 fathead minnows were harvested this fall. The majority of the fish were distributed to state, tribal, and National Wildlife Refuge waters in the Midwest Region, while the remaining 3,900 largemouth bass and 6,400 smallmouth bass remain on station until next spring in order to be used as host fish for the endangered Higgins Eye Pearlymussel program. A grand total of 10,774 lbs were harvested from the hatchery ponds, making it one of the most productive pond production seasons ever at the Genoa NFH.