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Question No. 3 



The current hatchery system, in my view, is capable of able to meeting the challenge of the 

 restoration of naturally-reproducing populations of Pacific salmon. I am not as certain about 

 other species offish, but my impression is that some extensive "retooling" and development of 

 basic fish biology and culture information will be needed for some of the less extensively 

 cultured species that are threatened or endangered. 



With regard to the salmon, there are a couple of active programs directed toward 

 restoration of naturally-reproducing salmon populations. The Redfish Lake sockeye program 

 on the Snake River is progressing as well as can be anticipated based on the information base 

 that is available on this population and this species. A program operated by the Washington 

 Department of Fisheries in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service to restore a 

 viable population of chinook salmon on the White River in the State of Washington is 

 progressing rather well and has resulted in the development of captive broodstock procedures 

 for this species. These two programs were, basicaUy, undertaken with current technology 

 supplemented by some experimentation to develop workable procedures. 



There are, however, some important changes that are needed in the current hatchery 

 system to facilitate restoration and to eliminate negative impacts from normal operations. The 

 most important, in my mind, is to get away from the "narrow" approach to the use of hatchery 

 facilities. A lot could be accomplished by setting individual goals for the hatcheries based on 

 the most "pressing" salmon population problems and utilizing the fiill capabilities of the 

 facility. Not every hatchery needs to be operated with a "feed lot" mentality to produce the 

 maximum number of fish possible. Some "supplementation" hatcheries are needed to reseed 

 streams and augment others with the most "natural" salmon that can be produced. This may, 

 initially, involve using some expensive and inherently inefficient approaches; success in these 

 endeavors will, however, eventually result in no cost Finally, some "conservation" hatcheries 

 are needed that utilize non-traditional faciUties and rearing approaches (e.g., lower density 

 rearing, fewer large containers for rearing fish and more small ones, analytical labs, permanent 

 maricing facilities, etc.). Such facilities will provide the best chance for Pacific salmon 

 hatcheries achieving success in what has been a non-traditional role. 



