Round Whitefish Restoration
Region 6 Natural Resource Highlight
Round Whitefish Thriving In Evergreen Lake
Round whitefish, an endangered species in New York State, were stocked in Evergreen Lake as spring fingerlings in 2000 (7,500 fish) and 2002 (2,000 fish). Evergreen Lake is a 45 acre lake located in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area north of Stillwater Reservoir, in the Town of Webb, Herkimer County. It was chosen as a candidate for a self-sustaining population of whitefish because it is cold and clean brook trout water but contains very few trout. The lake receives lime treatments to make the lake's water less acid and DEC does stock brook trout to enhance that fishery.
Region 6 Fisheries staff traveled by boat up Stillwater Reservoir then hiked the half mile into Evergreen Lake on July 14 and 15, 2002, to evaluate the survival of the stocked whitefish. Setting two gill nets overnight resulted in a catch of sixteen, two year old round whitefish. These results indicate high survival from the 2000 stocking and that the first phase of this project is deemed successful.
The overall goal of establishing a naturally reproducing whitefish population will be accomplished once fisheries staff have evidence of natural reproduction. The fish caught this year ranged from 11 to 13 inches in length, were in very good physical condition and internal examination revealed eggs that were developing for the fall 2002 spawning season. The next sampling of Evergreen Lake is planned for 2004 and staff will be looking for several year classes of whitefish to be able to say there is natural reproduction.
Other Adirondack waters that have received round whitefish include Buck Pond, Town of Webb, Herkimer County (in 2001 and 2002), plus Little Trout Pond (in 2000), Big Trout Pond (in 2000 and 2001) and Deer Pond (in 2001), all in the Town of Piercefield, St. Lawrence County. In September, 2002, fish population assessments were conducted in Big Trout (167 acres) and Little Trout (49 acres). In total, six round whitefish were collected. They averaged approximately 12 inches in length and were sexually mature. It is hoped the whitefish in these lakes and Evergreen Lake will successfully spawn this November.
Plans for restoration of round whitefish began in 1970 and on the ground preparations began in the 1990s by selecting possible ponds to stock, collection of eggs and putting out fingerlings. The long term goal is to upgrade their status from "endangered" to "threatened" after assuring that there are 10 separate populations of this species with several age classes demonstrating round whitefish are being self-sustained once again in the Adirondacks.
Credits to fisheries biologists Douglas Carlson with the endangered fish project and Bill Gordon who conducts field surveys and liming operations in the Adirondacks, plus a multitude of other staff who come through when many hands are needed.
