MACHIAS, Maine (AP) — A Maine conservation group is planting salmon eggs in three rivers in hopes of increasing the Atlantic Salmon population.

Working with state and federal marine biologists, the Downeast Salmon Federation this month planted 145,000 salmon eggs in the beds of the Pleasant, Narraguagus and Machias Rivers.

The Bangor Daily News reports that a pump is used to make a hole in the river beds and the eggs are poured into the holes by using PVC and stove pipe. When the pipes are removed, a light layer of sand covers the eggs in much the same way female salmon cover eggs to protect them until they hatch in the spring.

Maine Department of Marine Resources biologists report that nearly half the eggs hatch into fry using this technique.