Basinwide Salmon Recovery Strategy
Hatcheries

The Basinwide Salmon Recovery Strategy contains two primary hatchery initiatives. The first is to reform all existing production and mitigation hatcheries to eliminate or minimize their harm to wild fish. The second is to implement "safety net" projects using various artificial production techniques such as supplementation and captive broodstock programs on an interim basis to avoid extinction while other recovery actions take effect.

Protecting and managing for species diversity is the key to reforming hatchery operations. Diversity is reflected in the wild fish that are genetically adapted to the areas they inhabit. To protect this diversity, it is critical that hatcheries draw from the gene pool appropriate for the area. The Strategy requires that any agency operating a hatchery develop a genetic management plan to govern production. Hatcheries will also be required to improve operations in other respects to ensure that the fish they release do not pose a threat to wild fish inhabiting the same areas, and to improve the survival rates of the hatchery stocks themselves.

The second part of the hatchery strategy is to use conservation techniques to support weak stocks, at least on an interim basis. This will be done by collecting eggs and sperm from wild fish. The eggs will be fertilized and raised in a semi-natural environment. The fish will then be released into areas inhabited by the wild population, in theory adding abundance to the natural run.

Another key element of the hatchery strategy will be to establish a research program designed to clarify wild-hatchery fish interactions and quantify the effects of hatchery supplementation on wild fish with a strong degree of certainty.

Another element of the hatchery strategy involves using hatcheries to create fishing opportunities that are benign to listed populations, such as in terminal areas. This is particularly important to assist tribal fisheries. An example of one such program is the ongoing restoration efforts in the Umatilla Basin, which has resulted in fish returning to the river, and tribal and non-tribal fishing opportunities. In some cases, existing hatcheries could be transferred to or operated by the tribes for these purposes.

Strategies for Hatcheries:

• Hatchery Reform: Reduce potentially harmful hatchery practices.
• Conservation Hatchery Actions: Use "safety net" program on an interim basis to avoid extinction while other recovery actions take place; use hatcheries in a variety of ways and places to aid recovery.

Performance Standards for Hatcheries:

• Estimated Benefits:
• Fish Improvements:
• Egg-to-smolt survival benefits
• increase in number of biologically-appropriate naturally spawning adults
• improved fish health and fitness
• improvements in hatchery facilities, operations, and management and reduced potential harm to listed fish

Temporary conservation hatchery programs designed to contribute towards recovery of ESA-listed populations currently at critically low levels can yield immediate benefits for early life history stages by dramatically increasing egg to smolt survival. Measurement of success can be documented at a minimum through the number and quality of smolts produced for each population. Associated benefits for carefully implemented conservation programs would be the cumulative production of smolts over time, preserving the genetic material until adult returns can be measured.

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