Comparison of the Growth of Lake Trout Fingerlings from Eggs Taken in Seneca, Saranac, and Raquette Lakes

Abstract

Conclusions 1. In hatchery practice, the relative growth rates of the fingerling lake trout of the three strains reared in New York State are obscured by two circumstances. First, because of a difference In spawning times, the fingerlings from eggs of wild fish from Seneca Lake usually start to feed nearly a month earlier than those taken from Raquette Lake, and 6 weeks earlier than those from Saranac Lake; thus, at any given time, comparison favors the older strains. Second, the strains which regularly start to feed earliest in the winter have the longest period of cold weather before spring and consequently the lowest average temperature. This tends to reduce the growth rate of the strains which start to feed earliest. A fair comparison of the growth rates requires a study at equal ages and an adjustment of growth rate to compensate for different water temperatures. 2. When adjustment of the growth rates for temperature differences has been made and the strains are compared at equal ages, the Seneca fin...