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While getting my oil changed yesterday, I stumbled across a very interesting article in Salmon & Steelheader magazine. New research shows that 40% of all returning steelhead are actually fish that have a genetic makeup consistent with that of 1 steelhead parent and 1 localized trout parent! I realize you can't really call it a hybrid, since obviously steelhead ARE merely ocean going rainbows - but the implications of this are actually really great for steelhead. The study concluded that the healthier the wild trout population in a given river, the healthier the steelhead were on average. Scientists found that since all hatchery raised fish are less fit (smaller, weaker) than their wild counterparts - when hatchery fish spawned in the wild with a local wild trout, it actually raised the fitness level of the offspring and thus the returning steelhead. I wish I could find the article online so I could post it, but this was a revelation to me. Has anyone else heard this before?
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I think someone was smokin' crack when they wrote that one.
If a hatchery fish breeds with a wild fish it reduces the viability of the offspring versus a wildXwild cross. A hatcheryXhatchery cross is suck squared.
One of the biggest issues we face in Idaho is that many of the hatchery steelhead in this state are from stocks of fish from California because they survived better in concrete ponds, but they have poor homng and are weak fish that want to spawn closer to the ocean. The focus should be on getting a solid broodstock program going in Idaho based on genetics of Idaho wild stocks, and kill off the "imported" hatchery stocks.
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+1 much like they are doing with the sockeye and bonneville cutts
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Wild fish crossing with hatchery fish in the wild is never a good thing especially in terms of increasing the wild fitness.
IT is however commonly used to improve the fitness of hatchery strains. Several of the steelhead and salmon hatcheries infuse wild genes into thier hatchery stock to improve them. When used this way I support it as it reduces the impact hatchery fish have on wild strains if/when hatchery x wild crosses occur.
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Interesting.
I think some of you are missing what the article said. It is talking about a WILD steelhead that runs up a small stream is likely to cross with the native smaller rainbows in the stream that didn't travel out to the ocean. Thus a good healthy native rainbow population helps the steelhead population.
In my opinion, and I have no research to back this up, I think many of the wild native rainbow smolts from the streams just head out and become steelhead. Who knows what the trigger is that sends them out and back.
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cpierce, I get that point. In some rivers up to 20% of the wild steelhead smolt do not head to the ocean, instead "choosing" to remain localized and are, by definition rainbows. I understand that if those cross with a wild steelhead, the offspring are wild steelhead. In my world genetic diversity, whether you get it from native non-oceangoing trout or native steelhead, is a positive thing.
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My bad. I didnt even see the article. What you stated is great and is how the system is supposed to function
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Everyone has great points! I probably should've waited until morning to post that information, but posted it at 2:00 am when I couldn't recall all the information. The main point the article was getting at was that by interbreeding with wild trout, it was helping offset the hatcheryXhatchery breeding that inherently results in smaller weaker fish, or hatcheryXwild that endangers the the genetic superiority of wild fish. Wild troutXwild steelhead is a good thing - so all in all the scientists found interbreeding wild trout - even with residualized steelhead (aka rainbows that DIDN'T go) helps offset the negative effects caused by hatchery fish! I really enjoy learning more about these kinds of things and very much appreciate all the discussion!
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I think here in Idaho, the steelhead are what they are. Some tribes are trying to bring back Salmon. And, I go to bed at night with my fingers crossed.
Idaho
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Pretty cool article. Makes sense. I have been in the boise river where all around me were rising steelhead. Feeding on top. It was something I had never seen. My fishing buddy/guide old me that night that he has heard of steelhead returning to their trout tendencies. Thanks for the read.
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"I also heard last month from IDfG that there is a new strain of chinook from the sf salmon smolt that will be coming up the sf of Clearwater this year. Just jacks. "
Really? Who at IDF&G told you this breaking news? I would really like to talk to them. All I need is a name, I can get their number...
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Really? the SF has a native wild run. Id be interested to hear more details also. Cant believe they would be bringing in a different strain
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They aren't, that is my point. Please PM me the name of the person you got that information from if you don't mind...
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Hey. Don't know his name. Talked with him @ the fish check pullout off hwy 13 off the s fork early april. I asked the same thing about the natives here. He said it was smolts from last year from sf salmon. He acted really excited. I do know he's a guide out of grangeville. I probably did not ask all the right questions as it was late and I was exhausted.
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