SALMONID ENHANCEMENT 53 



and other physical conditions, they can achieve a very 

 high egg-to-fry survival rate and hence a larger produc- 

 tion from a given supply of spawners. They thus contnb- 

 ute effectively to the central goal of the enhancement pro- 

 gram. In addition, substantial economies of scale can be 

 realized. For example, to build three small hatcheries on 

 different streams, rather than one large one with the same 

 total capacity, requires nearly three times the expendi- 

 tures for water works, bank protection and trapping facil- 

 ities for adult fish, as well as additional operating costs. 

 As a result, large artificial facilities are relatively more 

 cost effective. 



increased escapement to the spawning grounds is difficult 

 to achieve. For example, the spawning habitat for Chi- 

 nook salmon in the Fraser River is capable of supporting 

 considerably larger stocks, but fisheries managers have 

 not achieved the increased escapement needed to use the 

 habitat capacity. In addition, the controlled environment 

 of a hatchery ensures production, whereas in natural 

 streams fluctuating flows and freezing may f^eriodically 

 destroy deposited eggs. 



Finally, some suggest that the enhancement program 

 would have had difficulty proceeding on as large a scale 



Table 5-3 Planned and actual allocation of federal funds among program areas" 



' Provincial program and Department's contribution to operate preprogram facilities not included. 

 *" From financial estimates in the onginal federal Cabinet approval, 1977. 

 ' Includes lake fertilization and pilot production. 



Source: Salmonid Enhancement Program. 



The pressure to achieve a high economic return is con- 

 siderable. The concern of the Treasur>' Board is revealed 

 in the following statement: 



There was a general estimate at our meeting 

 that, on the basis of present overhead, a 

 benefit cost ratio of 1.6:1.0 is probably 

 required before a given project should be 

 undertaken. This is an important point on 

 which to focus the on-going controversies 

 between biologists, engineers and economists 

 in the matter oi" project selection.'* 



The emphasis on large hatcheries and other major proj- 

 ects is consistent with the present importance of eco- 

 nomic considerations in the program's objectives. The 

 alternative is to revise the objectives. 



Second, a hatchery is sometimes the only practicable 

 means of enhancing or rehabilitating a stock. This was 

 the case, for example, on the Capilano and Puntledge 

 Rivers, where dams made natural spawning grounds 

 inaccessible. 



Third, hatcheries, by producing more young fish from 

 the available spawners provide an alternative when 



and as quickly as it did without considerable emphasis on 

 large engineering projects, particularly since plans for 

 several large projects were already prepared. Initiating 

 many small projects would have taken considerable time 

 because staff would have to have been recruited and 

 trained, and projects investigated and organized. The fed- 

 eral-provincial agreement notes that — 



Development plans for many of these sites 

 have progressed to the stage where they can 

 be implemented now, with reasonable assur- 

 ance of success, in order to conform with the 

 proposed Program schedule." 



Some fear that artificial enhancement will disturb the 

 genetics of fish populations through selection, reducing 

 their diversity and resilience, and increasing their vulner- 

 ability to disease and predation. Large-scale fish produc- 

 tion works also raise risks of devastating accidents. Thus 

 one expert has recently warned — 



At the present time, hatcheries are demon- 

 strably able to produce pink, chum, coho and 

 chinook salmon (but not sockeye, which are 

 notoriously sensitive) that are ready for sea- 

 ward migration and that will subsequently 



