CONTACT:
John Magee: 603-271-2501
Nicola Whitley: 603-271-3211
November 9, 2023
Concord, NH – For a variety of reasons, the Salmon Sunday event is cancelled for the foreseeable future. “Our primary goal is to offer the public an engaging educational experience at Salmon Sunday, and unfortunately, our challenges that have prevented this event in the past continue. The major challenge is collecting enough salmon, of the correct age, to hold a successful learning experience for visitors and residents,” said Inland Fisheries Chief Dianne Timmins.
For several decades, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Inland Fisheries Division has hosted Salmon Sunday at the Pope Dam on the Melvin River in Tuftonborough (Melvin Village). This event, traditionally held the first Sunday after Veteran’s Day in November, offers the public an opportunity to learn about the Granite State’s landlocked salmon fishery by participating in a popular hands-on spawning event.
Attendees had the opportunity to extract eggs from large adult female salmon and fertilize their eggs with milt from available mature male salmon. Fisheries biologists also engaged with the public in the spawning and fish culture process and answered questions. Salmon Sunday has drawn up to 200 people with many crowding around the fenced-in spawning facility for an up-close look at the annual process of gathering salmon eggs.
To learn more about the Inland Fisheries Division’s work, visit https://wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/fisheries-mgt.html.