Title
Experimental Intensive Rearing of Shad, Alosa sapidissima, at Van Dyke, Pennsylvania
Publication Date
1976
Publication Title
Proceedings of a Workshop on American Shad
Start Page
211
End Page
234
Abstract
To assist with efforts to restore anadromous fishes to the Susquehanna River Basin, the Pennsylvania Fish Commission constructed a temporary rearing facility along the Juniata River at Van Dyke and at the Union City Fish Cultural Station. Shad fry readily fed on Artemia nauplii and accepted dry feed. Fry and fingerlings (>5 cm) were sensitive to handling and transportation, experiencing up to 98 percent mortality within 24 hours after a six-hour move in packaged plastic bags. However, fingerlings moved for six hours in an 870-liter tank sustained less than 40 percent mortality in 48 hours. From approximately two million viable eggs received at Van Dyke, one-half million shad fry, one to six and a half weeks of age, were released into the Juniata River. An additional one-quarter million shad were reared for 75 to 101 days and received at least five weeks of morpholine treatment (for chemical imprinting) before release.