Richard Cronin National Salmon Station

The Richard Cronin National Salmon Station is critical to the Atlantic salmon restoration program. This is where the egg starts. Each spring, adult Atlantic salmon trapped at the Holyoke Dam on the Connecticut River and the DSI Dam on the Westfield River are taken to the Cronin Salmon Station. Upon arrival, the salmon are weighed, measured, tagged, and vaccinated. They are then gently eased into their indoor pools, where they rest until spawning in the fall. In October and November, when the fish are ready, hatchery staff spawn the salmon. Volunteers help to fertilize, rinse, and disinfect the eggs. The eggs are then trucked to the White River National Fish Hatchery in Bethel, Vermont.