Floods and escapes affected the number of salmon eggs being hatched this year by the Waitaki Riparian Enhancement Society for eventual release in to the Waitaki River.
The society had about 42,000 eggs in its Welcome Stream hatchery from salmon it trapped in the Hakataramea River,and secretary Linn Koevoet expected, after natural attrition and losses, that would result in about 30,000 fingerlings being released about this time next year.
The society trapped 42 salmon, of which 19 hens and 17 jacks were suitable to produce eggs and to fertilise them.
During trapping, the river went from drought through four floods, affecting the number of days the trap could operate. That also left loose shingle, allowing salmon to dig themselves out and escape from the trap.
The first eggs went into the incubators at the hatchery, next to the Waitaki River, on May 3 and the rest went in within a week.
They will be transferred to the Bell's Pond rearing races at Ikawai late September or early October, to be raised to an optimum size for release.
At the end of May, the society released 7500 smolt at an average rate of 128g, needing eight trips by fish transporters to the Waitaki River.
The fish should start returning to the river from 2015.
The release was considerably less than the society had hoped for from last season's trapping.
It started with about 40,000 smolt in its rearing races at Bell's Pond, but lost the bulk in January to a combination of a low flow in the river, didymo blocking water flow and the failure of an alarm system at the race which meant members were not notified about the water level falling.
Because the alarm did not operate, the first the society heard about the water level was when a farmer telephoned, but it was too late and only 7500 smolt could be saved.
