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	Salmon Fry by Henry Warchol, WRWA Secretary What is a salmon fry? That's the little guy that hatched from an egg and has absorbed the greater part of its body building yolk sack. They are about one inch long. And they need your help! The Westfield rivers first salmon and fish obstruction is the dam in West Springfield, where there is now a fish ladder that is used to trap the adult salmon (and lets all other fish continue their upstream migration) coming upstream to spawn. If the salmon were left to themselves to continue migrating upstream to spawn, the perdition of the eggs and adults would reduce their numbers considerably. The adults are trapped and transported to a fish hatchery so that a greater number of salmon fry are hatched from the eggs and do not end up as a food source to other fish and predators. Your help is needed to distribute the fry to the upper reaches of the river and its many tributaries (where cooler water contains more dissolved oxygen) so that they may grow and register (imprint) their starting place in life. When the salmon fry reaches six to eight inches in length (the smolt stage) they head downriver, to the ocean to feed and grow into adults, starting the cycle over again. Because of the States financial budget crunch, those employees that distributed the salmon fry in previous years are no longer available. The Westfield River Watershed has offered to help and is requesting its members and the public to help with the salmon fry stocking in the rivers many tributaries. It's a great experience to discover the many jewels that exist in our watershed. Dr. Caleb Slater of Mass. Fish and Wildlife is the programs director. Waders are available, but if you have some bring them. A ski pole or walking stick is also helpful. What's involved is walking down a stream with a measured amount of fish and dumping a little in spots along the way. The dates are not firm but April 21 to May 17 are the likely dates. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Volunteers are needed for both weekends and weekdays. It usually takes about four hours in the morning and added streams about two more hours in the afternoon. For a list of exact times and dates or to sign up to help contact Gabe Khatchadourian (568-3005).