Lake Sakakawea Salmon Spawn Nets 1.3 Million Eggs

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Fisheries crews collected 1.3 million eggs during their annual salmon spawning operation on Lake Sakakawea.

Dave Fryda with Game and Fish says most of the eggs came from the lake, with the rest from the Missouri River below Garrison Dam. He says the agency surpassed its goal for North Dakota stocking purposes but there may not be enough eggs this year to share with South Dakota and Montana.

The fish cannot naturally reproduce in North Dakota, so state and federal officials collect eggs and transport them to the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery.

Officials plan to stock about 400,000 salmon in Lake Sakakawea next year.