Successful Walleye Egg Collection for 3rd Year of Restoration Program

[GLF]

The Lake Erie Unit of the NYS DEC collected 750,000 walleye eggs for fingerling production to be stocked in the Buffalo River in late June. This is the third year in a five to seven year program to establish a riverine spawning stock of walleye in the Buffalo River. Historically it is believed that walleye spawned in the Buffalo River however due to years of dredging an industrial pollution that stock of walleye had been lost. Pollution abatement programs and laws have resulted in better water quality, which may allow walleye to spawn in the river again.

In the Eastern Basin of Lake Erie, walleye predominantly spawn on lake shoals and near shore reefs. Spawning in the lake subjects the eggs and fry to the hazards of rough water conditions during spring storms. Conditions for good spawning success are infrequent from year to year. River condition differences are less dramatic from year to year and storm run off is tempered by miles of the low gradient of the river. The cycle from winter to spring conditions is rapid causing plankton blooms, which provide the necessary food for the walleye fry. Walleye spawned in the Buffalo River have miles of ideal habitat to grow before they reach the lake.

An experiment conducted in the Cattaraugus Creek, a tributary to lake Erie, to establish a river spawning stock of walleye was successful. Don Einhouse, Sr. Fisheries Biologist at the NYS DEC Lake Erie Unit thought that a similar experiment was needed for the Buffalo River. The Buffalo River received about 53,000 walleye fingerlings total for the first two years and several hundred thousand fry. The eggs collected are taken to the Chautauqua Hatchery where they are raised to fingerlings. Volunteers during the egg collection and stocking also support the restoration efforts for the Buffalo River.