Fall fish processing season comes to a close at the Root River Steelhead Facility

The fall fish processing season at the Root River Steelhead Facility ended earlier this week. A total of 1,798 Chinook salmon, 1,258 Coho salmon, 57 brown trout, and 18 rainbow trout were captured and released upstream.  The number of Chinook salmon and Coho salmon released increased slightly from 2009 (1,695 and 1,131, respectively).  The number of brown trout and rainbow trout decreased considerably from 2009 (95 and 99, respectively).  The 2010 fish processing season was uncharacteristic because the facility was shut down temporarily due to low water levels.  Despite the shut down, eggs were collected from 756 Coho salmon.  In 2011, eggs were collected from 573 Coho salmon.

The Root River Steelhead Facility was built in 1993 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) with input from fishing clubs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  It is located in Lincoln Park in Racine, Wisconsin.  Each spring and fall, the facility is used to capture migrating salmon and trout.  The WDNR collects biological data from many of the fish passing through the facility and eggs from the spawning females.  Since 2009, the WDNR has hosted an open house at the facility during the fall fish processing season.