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Just wanted to offer an update on the Oswego Net Pen projects. 2023 will mark our 24th season of pen-rearing Chinook Salmon This project along with many others surrounding Lake Ontario and all the great lakes have several huge goals to accomplish. First off and most importantly to sustain a viable king fishery, to accomplish this goal, acclimation and protection from various predation is crucial.
I've been the name behind the Oswego project for 16 years now, but without the many volunteers, past coordinators, marina managers, Oswego Port and DPW, there would be no pen projects.
Every few years new blood enters the scene to keep this project on its toes, as of late a nice handful of Oswego captains have jumped into the mix and demanded to play part. Just goes to show the strength eager bodies can have when the call is needed
Keeping Chinook Salmon in Lake Ontario and migrating back annually to our ports and rivers is the future for so many sportsmen
THANKS TO THE NYS DEC for the oppurtunity

How much would it cost?? Is it even possible/practical? Is EC or Hammond consistently cold and clean enough to rear salmon during the time frame required? Even it it provided no benefit to survival and or returns, it might be worth to put a few fish in pens just to raise community awareness and support…

It would cost no money to the state or taxpayers. We have funding and City permission already also volunteer's The Fish are already put in the marina and sometimes stay for several weeks, I have seen this myself. There is good flow. Have never seen dead floating or sank fish after Marina stocking. For pens not to be working a lot of them are being used in the great lakes, If the fish get a window to get past the initial stocking and predation to me it only makes sense that survival rate has a much better chance. Pens allow this protection.

Wisconsin, Michigan and New York are all net penning Chinook Salmon until they smolt. They are also using the pens to hold newly stocked fish until releasing them at night.