IN THE HATCHERY 



The Fish and Wildhfe Service operates a 

 number of salmon hatcheries in the Pacific 

 Coast States, principally on the Columbia 

 and Sacramento Rivers. 



Mature salmon are collected as they ascend 

 the streams (often they return direct to 

 hatchery ponds) . Since they would die after 

 spawning, the fish are killed to facilitate 

 handling, and eggs are taken from the females 

 and fertilized with milt from the males. 



Eggs hatch after about 2 months in the 

 hatchery troughs. For about 3 weeks the fry 

 subsist by absorbing the yolk sacs attached to 

 them ; then the young salmon are given food. 



The small fingerling salmon are transferred 

 to outside ponds where they feed and grow 

 rapidly. Food consists of animal and fish 

 visceral products and fish meals. The larger 

 the salmon are at the time of release, the 

 gieater the chance of their survival to return 

 as adult fish. 



