In June 2010, the Baden-Württemberg State Fishing Association opened its own salmon farm near Oberwolfach (Black Forest). The restored former pond facility is managed by Stephan Stäbler. The young salmon reared in the salmon farm are ultimately stocked in the programme waters on the Rhine to support the new stock build-up.
A parent stock is kept at the Wolftal salmon farm. This consists of so-called returnees, i.e. young salmon that have naturally found their way back up the Rhine from the sea. The roe and milk are stripped from this parent stock to produce eggs. After fertilisation, the eggs are laid on incubators or incubation trays and after a few weeks the small salmon hatch and grow to a body length of around 6 cm. At this size, the young salmon have a good chance of growing into smolts in the designated stocking waters of the salmon programme. The smolt is a young salmon on its first journey into the sea, i.e. the North Sea. After a few years in the sea, the salmon returns to the Rhine and its Black Forest streams to spawn.
The Wolftal Salmon Breeding Information Centre was opened in July 2020. With numerous information boards and media stations, school classes, groups and interested guests can find out about the importance of salmon for the Black Forest and the technical effort required for successful breeding at the Wolftal Salmon Breeding Information Centre. Breeding tanks and other hatchery facilities have been installed in the basement of the new building, which can be viewed by visitors on the upper floor via a glass pane embedded in the floor. The upper floor, with its exhibition space, serves to impart knowledge about the life of the salmon. Sanitary facilities and a training and lecture room have been integrated into the existing main building of the facility.
Guided tours are available on request.
