DEM ANNOUNCES PLANS TO STOCK ATLANTIC SALMON

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish and Wildlife announces that about 100 surplus domestic Atlantic salmon broodstock will be stocked in Carbuncle Pond in Coventry early next week. The salmon, generally between three and five pounds each, are from the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Nashua, New Hampshire National Fish Hatchery.

Carbuncle Pond is located off Route 14 in Coventry. It is one of the state's larger ponds, encompassing 35 acres, with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Because of its unique characteristics, it can hold salmon throughout the year. It has boating access as well as considerable shore access including a new handicap-access fishing pier, and large parking areas.

A current fishing license and a Trout Conservation Stamp are required to keep or possess a salmon. The daily creel and possession limit for domestic Atlantic salmon is two fish as part of the daily trout limit, which currently stands at two per day. Fall trout stocking in a number of ponds statewide has been completed; winter trout stocking will take place in December.

Tests by the US Fish and Wildlife Service indicate that domestic Atlantic salmon produced by national fish hatcheries in the Northeast do have low levels of PCB contamination, but the PCB levels do not exceed existing federal consumption safety levels. To protect public health, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency, recommends that those eating these salmon restrict themselves to one meal per month.