Several months later, the eggs hatch into a semi-embryonic state and eventually emerge as fry, or tiny salmon. When the fry are large enough, they're moved into seawater net pens. The fry, usually less than 1 inch long, are then fed dry fish food. Six months after fertilization, the pink and chum salmon fry are ready to migrate to saltwater, whereas it takes king and silver fry an additional year of freshwater rearing before they can adapt to saltwater. Hatchery visitors can listen to lectures on the fish as they swim in outside tanks.
Workers also answer questions.
Call 463-5113 for information. The return ratio for pink and chum salmon is about 1.5-2.5 percent, while silvers have a 10 percent return rate. Between 2.5 percent and 3 percent of king salmon return. The hatchery also uses some of its own fish for producing and marketing salmon nuggets and hams. Copyright 2000 Morris Digital Works and The Juneau Empire.