Stocking Atlantic Salmon in Lake Oahe? Not Everyone Hooked on Idea – Up for “Debait”
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks are considering introducing Atlantic salmon to the Missouri River reservoir in South Dakota, possibly changing the face of fishing on lake Oahe.
The goal is to increase the number of salmon that anglers catch. However, it also raises several ecological questions. Biologists are looking for your opinion on the matter. You can take a quick survey and leave a comment here.
Anglers are taking sides on the matter with a host of unanswered questions being raised. Perhaps this interview between a woman named Larry and SD GFP Fisheries Biologist Hilary Meyer will help answer some questions.
In which direction will this argument go? Maybe these recent comments on Youtube offer us a clue:
Gary Beaubien
SO IF YOU PUT ONE MILLION ATLANTIC SALMON IN LAKE OAHE THAT ARE ABOUT AVERAGE SIZE, SIX INCHES, IN THREE YEARS THEY WILL BE ABOUT 12--14 INCHES long, how long will it be before they wipe out fry, shrimp, and little walleye. I would venture to bet that more money is brought into the state through walleye fishing than what SALMON fishing could ever think of.