'Rock snot' fear means salmon for native tribes

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) ? Fear that a Vermont fish hatchery could be contaminated with the invasive algae species known as "rock snot" is prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to donate thousands of Atlantic salmon to native American tribes in the Northeast.

The Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission voted Thursday to remove the salmon from the federal Bethel Fish Hatchery, clean them and donate them to the tribes. The algae pose no threat to human health.

Technicians will then scrub the hatchery, parts of which were overwhelmed in August by the White River, where the algae has been found.

Biologists fear releasing the fish could spread the algae.

A separate decision is expected later this month about whether 434,000 lake trout from the hatchery can be safely released into lakes Ontario and Erie.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-10-Contaminated%20Hatchery/id-2bb7368822064301b0599c693548c921

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