BOISE, Idaho — Triple-digit temperatures have been felt by Idahoans in the Gem State, but they aren't the only ones feeling the effects. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), reported they're trapping sockeye salmon to protect future generations.
IDFG officials said on Friday they are trapping sockeye from the Lower Granite Dam near Lewiston and transporting the animals by truck to the Eagle Hatchery near Boise. The department said the warming water in the Upper Salmon River is potentially deadly, and moving the endangered animal will preserve the fish for spawning.
"We prefer to let these fish return naturally, but we have to balance that with knowing they’re heading toward a heat wave, so we decided to safely reroute some of them to Eagle to ensure we have fish to produce the next generation," said Lance Hebdon, chief of Idaho Fish and Game’s Fisheries Bureau, in a news release. "We are only trucking a portion of the fish, so we still expect some will make their full migration."
Since Thursday, July 18, IDFG staff have moved 142 sockeyes from the dam.
IDFG reports in mid-July, more than 925 sockeyes made it to the Lower Granite Dam after traveling 900 miles.
"Sockeye returns at Lower Granite typically peak in mid-July, and fish will continue to return throughout summer. The run is already the seventh-highest return to Lower Granite since fishing counting began there in 1975, and more fish are due to arrive," IDFG said in a news release.
However, the journey doesn't end there, as the fish need to travel another 400 miles to reach the Sawtooth Basin. Officials said the first fish typically arrives in the third week of July.
