[ODFW-News] Perch die-off at Henry Hagg Lake determined a natural event

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release Tuesday, May 16, 2006
 
Perch die-off at Henry Hagg Lake determined a natural event
 
SALEM - Local fishery officials today announced testing results on dead
yellow perch at Washington County's Henry Hagg Lake indicate the fish
died of natural causes, likely related to spawning stress. 
 
Area anglers began reporting dead perch approximately 10 days ago.
Fishery experts estimate as many as 3,000 perch may have died. The lake
also is a popular angling destination for rainbow trout and smallmouth
bass, but the die-off was limited to yellow perch and appeared to mostly
affect male fish. 
 
District Fish Biologist Todd Alsbury said examination of the dead perch
found all had empty stomachs, likely the result of prolonged cold
temperatures in the lake this spring that inhibited natural food source
production when the fish normally would have been feeding heavily just
prior to spawning. 
 
That factor, combined with spawning stress and a sudden increase in
water temperatures with recent weather, appears to be what caused the
die off. 
 
"This situation is unfortunate, but entirely natural," Alsbury said.
"Fish caught from Hagg Lake are safe to eat, and the lake has a very
strong perch population, so this event will not impact angling
opportunities."
 
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