Allegheny National Fish Hatchery facts for kids
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The Allegheny National Fish Hatchery is a special place where fish are raised. It was started by the U.S. Congress in 1959. Its first job was to grow fish like rainbow, brook, and brown trout for streams in northwestern Pennsylvania. They began building it in the late 1960s, and fish production started there in 1974.
Raising Lake Trout
Today, the main goal of the Allegheny National Fish Hatchery is to raise lake trout. These fish are released into Lake Erie and Lake Ontario to help bring their populations back. This hatchery is the only one in the United States that helps with this big project. It's a joint effort with Canada.
About Lake Trout
The lake trout (scientific name: Salvelinus namaycush) is a type of cold-water fish. It belongs to the charr family. Lake trout are the biggest kind of trout. They live in deep waters and are related to the well-known brook trout. Lake trout naturally live in the northeastern United States and Canada. They used to be a top predator, meaning they hunted other fish, in the Great Lakes.
Why Lake Trout Need Help
The number of lake trout has gone down over time. This happened for a few reasons:
- New Species: Other fish and creatures, like the sea lamprey, were introduced. These new species caused problems for the lake trout.
- Lost Homes: Their natural living areas, called habitats, were damaged or disappeared.
- Too Much Fishing: In the past, too many lake trout were caught. This is called overharvesting.
In the early 1990s, the hatchery produced about 1.3 million fish each year. Now, they raise around 660,000 fish for Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The hatchery also keeps about 2,000 adult fish. These adult fish are called "broodstock." They are used to produce eggs for the programs in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and even Lake Michigan.
Fishing Pier at Kinzua Dam
There's a fishing pier near the hatchery at the Kinzua Dam. It's located just upstream on PA Route 59. You can visit this pier 24 hours a day. However, it's only open when the water flow is 6,000 cubic feet per second or less. The pier is also closed during winter when roads are icy or snowy.
