OCTOBER 12, 1960. Mr. PAUL BERG, River Basin Studies, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, DEAR PAUL: In accordance with your request to supply you with our recommendations concerning the fish needed for stocking the Washoe project area within Nevada from the proposed Washoe project fish hatchery, I am enclosing a chart which contains our recommendations. Upon reviewing your rough draft I noted that you had added additional waters to those which were originally utilized in the development of the production of the Washoe project hatchery. As you will recall, the original basis for the fish hatchery was Nevada's request for such a hatchery to supply a minimum stocking of 50,000 pounds of catchable sized cutthroat trout into Pyramid Lake each year. Later, the hatchery size was expanded to include an additional 25,000 pounds of fish for stocking in the waters within the Washoe project area, namely: Stampede Reservoir (10,000 pounds); Watasheamu Reservoir (7,500 pounds); Carson River below Dressler Diversion (2,500 pounds); Calvada Reservoir and Truckee River (2,000 pounds); Boca Reservoir (2,000 pounds); Dressler Reservoir (1,000 pounds). Thus, if additional waters are added other than those enumerated, the poundage would exceed the allotted 25,000 pounds, and those waters as above listed would have to be reduced in their stocking densities, to which we would be opposed at least insofar as Nevada is concerned. Thus, it appears that the objective toward which you are working, would be an expansion of the hatchery production of 75,000 pounds in order to accommodate the new waters. If this is the case, we would be favorable toward this action. In addition to the data which you had on your rough draft, I have taken the liberty of adding when the fish are to be planted, inasmuch as we have found this to be extremely significant, especially in the case of Pyramid Lake and it would be well for you to have this information on hand in planning the hatchery operations. This should be subject to change, however, in the future, depending on the findings of the technicians of the two States in which the waters are involved. I trust that you will find the attached chart and the above information as per your request. Sincerely yours, NOTE.-These requirements were developed in March 1955 and were contemplated to take care of the fishing pressure that existed at that time. No effort was made to expand the figures to take care of addtional fishing pressure which even today is substantially increasing especially on Pyramid Lake. WESTERN NEVADA FISH HATCHERY Senator BIBLE. Mr. Chairman, this is in support of the fish hatchery contemplated for establishment in western Nevada. This first survey investigation was undertaken a year ago by the Fish and Wildlife people, and I have attached to my prepared statement a rather detailed analysis by the head of the Fisheries Division of the Nevada State Fish and Game Commission in support of the request we made a year ago. I am sure that Mr. Tunison is completely familiar with this project. He has been most helpful to us, and I am wondering if he could furnish a description of the hatchery facility need and the justification of the cost for the record. I do not know if you have it readily available or not. (The information referred to follows:) PROPOSED MINDEN, NEV., NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY There exists a large demand for trout for distribution into waters in the western part of Nevada. The National Government does not operate a hatchery in Nevada and efforts are made to fill applications for planting from the trout production at the Hagerman, Idaho, National Fish Hatchery. This has resulted in excessive costs for fish distribution and limited the distribution of fish into waters of western Nevada. Existing requirements in waters where there is a national responsibility now total 80,000 pounds of trout annually. Most of these requirements are for Lahontan cutthroat trout for Pryamid and Walker Lakes. As the Washoe reclamation project is developed an additional 43,000 pounds will be required. The two interstate lakes, Topaz and Tahoe, also could use trout from this hatchery under the State management program. None of these requirements takes into consideration any increase of fishing pressure that may occur in the area in years to come. Therefore, a hatchery, including facilities to produce a minimum of 125,000 pounds annually, should be established in western Nevada to eliminate the long distribution trips and to meet the national responsibility existing in this area. As a result of extensive investigations of possible hatchery sites in western Nevada, a site has been selected near Minden that is suitable for the establishment of a large trout hatchery. 6880661- -69 |