News Letter from Dan Goodness

Good morning, everyone!!

Much has happened here at the SJ Hatchery since the last newsletter went out, one month ago. Right after the week of Spring Break, the chums were ponded and transferred to a 20' X 40' netpen, since they had finally used up most of the yolk. At the last sampling, they were 0.65 grams per fish. The sunshine we have had for the past several days has begun to warm the water, and the fish are now eating furiously! As for the pinks, they also are eating "like pigs", and growing quickly now, almost as big as the chums. (Don't you just love the expression, "Eating like Pigs!!")

In addition, all the coho have hatched. It's an amazing sight to see 7,000 alevins wriggling in a Heath tray.

We have been feeding the Broodyear 2006 coho presmolts 3 times a week now, to get them to the 20 gram release size that we want. The chinook have smolted, and could be released anytime. But we will wait until May to release smolts.

In the past, during the late spring and summer, the Wetlab / Aquarium and the hatchery have been open to the public for tours, and outreach education. Large groups of local schoolchildren have come here for their final field trips each spring, and gazed into the touch tables, picking up and examining the starfish and other sea creatures on display. In addition, these kids have peered over the edge of the fiberglass Swede ponds, and watched the pink and chum salmon swim in circles, and eat the EWOS feed presented to them. In addition, during May, as the coho and chinook have reached their release size, visitors to Sitka, primarily from the cruise ships, have participated in the annual Releasing of the Smolts. I have begun to work on a tentative schedule for these events already.

Will things be normal this spring?? I hope so, and am doing what I can to make it so. I am attempting to get the collection permit from ADF&G current, so that we can collect marine animals again, for displaying this spring and summer in the Wetlab. I know how much it means, to so many people, to see the Sage Building "alive!" again. I want to help make things "normal" again, and I encourage anyone who wants to help me accomplish this to contact me. There's much to do now, to get things normal.

And then there was the meeting of April 1st and 2nd. The Final Report is attached. What an awesome event!! To be in that room, and sit among so many professionals, with such diversity of experience and background, and to listen to their expressions of support for the continuation of education and research; well, it was too good to be true, but it was true. I am so greatly encouraged, now that the meeting is over, to continue on with my quest to help "get things back to normal". Keeping this educational hatchery program going continues to be my ultimate goal.

Nothing is easy. It takes hard work to accomplish the near impossible. Having a Positive Mental Attitude makes the fight more endurable, if you will. It is now a matter of waiting, and planning, and hoping for the best to come about.

At this time, I want to thank the Sitka Sound Science Center for employing me for the past 4 months. Funding seems to have run out for continuing my contract. My last day with the SSSC is April 30th. At this time, I also want to thank the entities that provided monies to the SSSC to make my contract, and the continued operation of the hatchery, possible. NOAA Fisheries, the At-Sea Processors, and the Wells Fargo Friends of the Hatchery donation account funded the operation, making it possible for me to live, work, and stay in Sitka, employed in my chosen profession. All three of these funding sources were very key to "keeping the place going." At present, as you all now know, the SSSC is looking at other sources of funding. If $250,000 is awarded, wow, wouldn't that be something!!

What If the $250K doesn't happen? Well, my understanding is that the SSSC is working on other sources of funding besides the $250K. Let's all hope something wonderful happens.


On May 1st, it is my intention to unlock the gates to the hatchery grounds, and allow the public (this includes groups of schoolchildren!) to walk through the grounds, and see the fish. The SJ Hatchery grounds are becoming more and more like a park every day. There are benches to sit on, and the view is spectacular!! I have vowed to finish the broodyear, releasing pinks, chums, coho and chinook smolts, and I will do this, whatever it takes. I may be a volunteer on May 1st, but thanks to your donations, the hatchery program will not fail. There will be donation boxes at the entrances to the hatchery, once again giving visitors a chance to give to this most worthy cause. All donations will continue to go into the Friends of the Hatchery account. At present, the balance stands at $15,000!! $8,600 was transferred to the SSSC to assist them with funding the hatchery. One very large donation, for the amount of $10,000, was mailed directly to the bank. My understanding is that the donor wishes to remain anonymous, but the very generous donation is made "in memory of Molly Ahlgren".

What can I say? I am going to try to fulfill this person's wishes, and help make the Wetlab come "alive" again!

My very sincere thanks to everyone who has donated their time, and/or their dollars, and/or loaned equipment, and/or offered support, in one way or another. This group, the Friends, are very important to us. The entire City of Sitka has given so much, and I hope you can help me spread the word how grateful Lila and I are for your involvement.

Daniel F. Goodness, Manager
Sheldon Jackson Hatchery
834 Lincoln Street
Sitka, Alaska 99835

Office Phone: 907-747-3824
Home Phone: 907-747-3824
Email: daniel.goodness@gmail.com