Whitehorse Rapids Fish Hatchery
History
Yukon Energy's Whitehorse Fish Hatchery began in 1984 to counteract the numbers of migrating Chinook salmon fry being affected by our power plant. In 1996-97 the hatchery expanded to accommodate the rearing of fresh water species. This includes arctic char, kokanee salmon, and lake, rainbow and bull trout. The freshwater fish are used to stock pothole lakes in the southern Yukon.
Role of Hatchery
The hatchery operates year round to produce the various species. Each year, about 60 female and 120 male Chinook are removed from the fishway. Eggs and sperm are collected and mixed. The fertilized eggs are incubated over the winter and the young fish (fry) are released the following June into streams such as Michie and Wolf Creeks in the Yukon River system.
Before the fish are set free, they have their adipose fin clipped and a tiny coded wire is inserted into their nose cartilage. This procedure identifies the stock, date and location of release and helps biologists track the number of salmon that return to the spawning grounds as adults.
- Fish Ladder and Hatchery - English (3404 KB)
- Fish Ladder and Hatchery - French (3414 KB)
- Fish Ladder and Hatchery - German (1729 KB)