Something's Fishy Here

When you say or hear that something's fishy, it can mean that it's something is suspect or shady. And, if you're sitting next to someone eating fish, it could refer to a particular odor.

But . . .

Here, in Nashua, NH, it means something entirely different and instead refers to the Nashua National Fish Hatchery, which we visited on a recent local outing. 

Hatchery Manager Keith

Although it's usually open for tours, this is the time of Covid, and like so many other places, there's no scheduled open hours now. Since I had called ahead, Hatchery Manager Keith (that's his title) who happened to be on-site was able to give us a guided tour. We were all careful to mask-up during the tour. After all, you never know where those fish have been.

In many ways, a hatchery is like a nursery. It's a place to spawn, hatch, and rear fish under controlled supervision to maximize the number and survival rate of offspring. With declining fish populations becoming more prevalent countryside, fish hatchery operations have become more crucial. As human population increases, so do instances of overfishing, poor water quality, waterway blockage, and other obstacles which negatively impact many species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works to increase endangered fish populations and provide healthier aquatic ecosystems throughout the U.S. by education and increased conservation efforts.

Fish & Wildlife logo

A very brief history, President Ulysses S. Grant is credited with taking government action to conserve the nation's fishery resources. He established the U.S. Fish Commission in 1871, the predecessor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1872, the first Federal fish hatchery, known as the Baird Hatchery, was established in CA (it's no longer in operation). The oldest operating Federal hatchery is the Neosho (MO) National Fish Hatchery (NFH) established in 1888. Today, NFHs located in 35 U.S. states, produce more than 60 different species of fish. Leave those poles home, there's no fishing allowed at any facility.

The Nashua National Fish Hatchery (Nashua NFH) was established in 1898 after land was purchased for this purpose. It's a working part of the Eastern New England Fisheries Resource Complex, one of 11 national fish hatcheries in the Northeast Region, and one of 70 in the National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) which works to conserve rare imperiled species and common game fish to strengthen ecosystems and economies. It consists of a network of field stations located throughout the U.S. that work with tribal, local and state governments, federal agencies, and even foreign nations to conserve fisheries. 

Salmon incubator

The Nashua NFH is a broodstock hatchery. In case you don't know (I didn't either) broodstock are sexually mature adult fish used for breeding or spawning. A broodstock hatchery specializes in raising fish to adulthood, then strips eggs from the females and fertilizes them with sperm (milt) from the males. 

Fertilized eggs are then incubated and monitored throughout early stages where mortality is highest. After the eggs have developed enough for transport, they are either grown out within the Nashua NFH to different stages for stocking or shipped to other hatcheries. Think of it as raising young-uns until they can be on their own, only much sooner, and they're sent away.

For 80 years, the station produced rainbow, brook, and brown trout for stocking state and federally managed waters within New England and trout and salmon eggs for distribution throughout the U.S. In 1978, production shifted to Atlantic salmon for use in the Merrimack River Restoration Program. For many years, the Nashua NFH was a domestic and sea run salmon broodstock facility producing 4 million eggs each year for restoration programs in the Merrimack River Basin in NH and MA, the Pawtucket and Wood Rivers in RI, and NH Coastal Rivers.

Work at the Nashua hatchery supports Atlantic salmon, American shad and other aquatic species as well as restoration efforts in the Merrimack River and several New England rivers. The station provides Atlantic salmon eggs for fry release programs and retired broodstock for Atlantic salmon recreational fisheries.

Atlantic salmon rearing tank at Nashua National Fish Hatchery

Atlantic salmon is a well-known species in New England rivers. The fish are anadromous, which means they spend most of their life span in the Atlantic Ocean, but migrate to freshwater rivers to reproduce. Facilities at the Nashua NFH for raising Atlantic salmon include 20 raceways for fish aged 1 - 4 years, 20 rearing tanks, 13 egg stacks, and an additional egg-incubation room for grow out of the eggs.

Salmon raceways - exterior views

Salmon raceways - interior views

American shad is the largest herring found in North America, growing up to 2 feet long and up to 6 pounds in weight. These fish can be found along the Atlantic coast from Florida all the way to Canada. Like the Atlantic salmon, this fish is also anadromous and migrate from salt water to fresh water to spawn.

American shad indoor tank, Nashua National Fish Hatchery

Shad eggs are obtained from adult shad returning to the Merrimack River, then incubated at the Nashua hatchery. Once they hatch, the juveniles are released into sections of the Merrimack River and other New England rivers. Equipment for American shad production includes 4 large tanks for adults, 11 circular fry tanks, and 2 large water troughs holding up to 30 egg jars each. The shad buildings run on a recirculating water system with a bio-filter and ultraviolet unit to maintain water quality.

Filtering equipment in rear of buildings, Nashua National Fish Hatchery

Once fish are ready to leave the hatchery, how do they get to where they will be released — after all, they can't just swim away. 

Years ago, fish were transported in milk cans carried by pack horses or in horse-drawn wagons. To ensure their survival, most fish transported this way were stocked in waters close to the hatchery.

Fish do not pose well for a photo opp

By the 1870s, specially designed railroad cars, fish cars (no kidding), transported fish in specialized containers filled with fresh water that had to be changed often, when available. Each fish car carried a crew charged with keeping the fish alive. Fish cars enabled shipping live fish  cross country. Fish were transported from Midwest hatcheries to locations along the Pacific coast. 

Early fish car interior

The first trip was in 1874 when Dr. Livingston Stone of the U.S. Fish Commission (forerunner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), tended 35,000 shad fish fry. His task was to get them safely to California for deposit in the Sacramento River and other Pacific coastal streams. 

Fish were carried in open milk cans and Stone changed water every 2 hours, when possible. After days of round-the-clock care, most shad fry arrived safely. As a result, a new species was established on the West Coast for sportfishing and commercial fishermen.

Today, modern and sophisticated equipment makes transporting fish much easier. Modern tank trucks transport over 200 million fish (some 48 species) annually from over 90 Fish and Wildlife Service hatcheries to stock many rivers, lakes, and coastal waters nationwide. They are transported in carried in cooled, oxygen-aerated, constantly circulated and cleansed water. The science of fish transportation is so highly developed that most fish arrive safely.

Partial view of fish transport truck at Nashua National Fish Hatchery

At the Nashua NFH, trucks equipped with water tanks and aeration systems are used for fish transport. After arrival at their destination, fish are removed by opening a valve and draining them via a flexible hose from tanks into the water. 

It doesn't happen here, but in remote parts of the U.S., helicopters and planes are used to stock fish. And, the USPS or private carriers have been used to ship fish in specialized boxes. Other times, it's done the old-fashioned way with horses transporting fish to remote lakes and streams.

Overall, this was a fascinating visit to a much under-visited facility, according to Hatchery Manager Keith. There were no other curious folks pulling into the parking area the day of our visit. But, since many other public places (City Hall, bank lobbies) remain closed to visitors, folks may naturally (and correctly) figure the same is true here. Hopefully, that will change as this was a very interesting and Free local excursion. It was a great good learning experience for myself. Grenville has a degree in marine biology and may pursue volunteering when the you-know-what allows such opportunities to resume. 

Fish young-uns at the Nashua fish hatchery