July 19, 2004

Fish hatcheries in the Columbia River Basin need to have clearly defined goals and should be managed carefully to reduce risks to the survival of weak, naturally spawning runs, the Council recommends.

The Council this week released for public review and comment its recommendations for policies to guide fish hatcheries in the future. The recommendations seek to improve the integration of hatchery production with natural production of fish to increase the geographic range and genetic diversity of fish production.

?It was a challenge to identify and analyze all of the hatcheries in the basin, and it will be a challenge to effect change,? Council Chair Judi Danielson said. ?One of the most difficult challenges is that most hatchery programs were created decades ago under legal requirements that stressed different priorities than we have today, such as producing fish for commercial and sport harvest. Those are still important goals, but today hatcheries also are being used ? and will continue to be used ? to conserve weak stocks and assist the recovery of threatened and endangered species. Our recommendations will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of hatcheries.?

The Council responded to a congressional directive by conducting a scientific review, with the assistance of the Independent Scientific Advisory Board, of the state of artificial production in the Columbia basin. The Artificial Production Review resulted in a set of recommended guidelines for hatchery practices, ecological interactions and genetics. The Council followed the review with a comprehensive evaluation of all 227 hatcheries and hatchery programs in the basin. This effort, the Artificial Production Review and Evaluation, concluded that:

1. hatcheries are limited in what they can accomplish;
2. the purposes for hatchery programs have changed and will continue to change;
3. hatcheries will continue to play a part in recovery and management of fish in the Columbia River and elsewhere; and
4. hatcheries require reform to align their policies and practices with current social priorities and scientific knowledge, to determine hatchery performance and to operate in a businesslike fashion.

Based on these conclusions, the Council developed three broad, draft recommendations for public comment:

1. The Council, NOAA Fisheries, and the Bonneville Power Administration should facilitate a regional discussion that clearly identifies basinwide goals and priorities for salmon and steelhead. The Council's subbasin planning is an appropriate process to design and implement long-term goals and priorities, and strategies to achieve them. This will reduce disparities among production policies of existing hatcheries.
2. Agencies that oversee hatcheries should adopt prioritized criteria to reduce hatchery risk to weak, naturally spawning stocks through techniques such as a) improving broodstock management; b) integrating naturally spawning fish into hatchery broodstocks or reducing excessive straying of hatchery-bred fish; c) improving fish passage; d) preventing disease and e) improving water quality. Each hatchery should have a plan for future activities based on its genetics management plan and recommendations for fish production developed in the subbasin planning process.
3. Each hatchery should be reviewed periodically to direct changes and assess progress toward goals.

After the 30-day public comment period (deadline is August 20, 2004), the Council will finalize its recommendations and submit them to Congress.