Saratoga National Fish Hatchery facts for kids
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The Saratoga National Fish Hatchery is a special place in Wyoming. It helps protect fish and other animals. It is run by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This hatchery is near Saratoga, Wyoming. It is one of two national fish hatcheries in the state.
Saratoga National Fish Hatchery mainly focuses on "broodstock." This means they keep healthy adult fish. These adults produce eggs and sperm. The fertilized eggs are then sent to other hatcheries. There, the eggs hatch and grow into fish ready to be released. The hatchery also works to breed Wyoming toads.
Contents
History of the Saratoga Hatchery
How the Hatchery Started
The Saratoga National Fish Hatchery began in 1911. Construction of its buildings started in March 1915. It was first built to provide fish for Wyoming. The plan was to expand it as the state grew.
Becoming a Broodstock Center
From its opening in 1915, the hatchery kept many types of adult fish. However, it was not officially called a "broodstock hatchery" until 1966. The buildings at Saratoga National Fish Hatchery were updated and made bigger in 1995 and 1996.
What They Do at Saratoga National Fish Hatchery
Raising Fish for the Future
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The Saratoga National Fish Hatchery raises many types of fish. They produce eggs from different kinds of lake trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout. They also raise Yellowstone cutthroat trout. These fish are used to stock parks and tribal lands in Wyoming.
Helping Other Hatcheries
Saratoga National Fish Hatchery produces eggs for other important projects. For example, they provide Lewis lake trout eggs for the Great Lakes Restoration Project. They also supply Plymouth Rock brown trout to many hatcheries across the country. The hatchery keeps extra adult McConaughy rainbow trout as a backup.
Studies have shown how important this hatchery is. About 75 percent of trout caught in Lake Huron came from the Saratoga National Fish Hatchery.
Bringing Back Greenback Cutthroat Trout
By 2002, Saratoga National Fish Hatchery was helping to bring back greenback cutthroat trout. They worked with other hatcheries to reintroduce these fish. They released them into various lakes and rivers.
Saving the Wyoming Toad
In 1997, Saratoga National Fish Hatchery started breeding Wyoming toads. This was done to create safe places for them to live. It also helped prepare them for future release into the wild. It was the first hatchery in the National Fish Hatchery System to raise endangered amphibians.
Since then, the hatchery has sent hundreds of adult toads to places like Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge. They also send them to other areas for reintroduction. In June 2016, they released over 900 adult toads in one event.
