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If a naturally spawning fl«h population has been lost or cannot be brought back to a 

 viable population strength through stricter management protection or habitat 

 restoration, then supplementation will be required. A sound rule of thumb is to go in, 

 get the job done, and get out. The use of hatcheries or artificial propagation 

 techniques should be limited to one or two life cycles of the affected species. 

 Prolonged supplementation using hatchery-produced fish will only result in the 

 replacement of wild fish with hatchery fish, which really defeats the purpose of 

 restoration. In cases where a naturally spawning fish population has been completely 

 eliminated, a donor stock will have to be used. Local or genetically similar stocks 

 should be used for replacement. 



The keys to the performance of successful hatchery programs in Alaska include the 

 following: 



• The design and adherence to extensive fish culture protocols maximize the 

 survival of the fish while at the same time mimicing the natural situation for 

 those fish as much as is reasonable. There has often been extensive, creative 

 interaction between fish culturists, fisheries scientists, and resource managers 

 in the planning of all fisheries restoration and enhancement activities. That 

 planning is brought to fruition through the application of these restoration and 

 enhancement protocols, including the aiq>ropriaie fish culture practices, 



• The consistent evaluation and reevaluaiion of all critical procedures, coupled 

 with the flexibility that allows rapid revision of those procedures is essential. 

 We make very few assumptions. Everything that is done in the most 

 successful hatcheries is consistently evaluated. The ultimate evaluation of fish 

 culture procedures is the survival of hatchery-produced fish to adults. The 

 evaluation of restoration activities would include accomplishing the intended, 

 overall program goals. 



• We realized that many restoration projects are unique, and we accepted both 

 the risk and failures associated with the willingness to sometimes design 

 unique, one-of-a-kind protocols for specific situations. The successful culture 

 of sockcye salmon was a result of this willingness. Alaska now has the largest 

 and most diverse sockeye salmon restoration and enhancement program in the 

 world. 



Finally, Alaska's hatchery program began in 1971 after harvests of wild stocks of salmon fell 

 to around 20 million fish. Presently, the wild stock harvests have reached nearly 150 million 

 salmon, with an additional 20 million catch contribution from the enhancement program. 

 This is consistent with the original goal of the program to supplement wild stock production, 

 not supplant it. Wild stocks remain the backbone of the salmon industry, and it is the intent 

 of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to keep it that way. 



Thank you for this opportunity to come before you today to discuss Alaska's salmon fisheries 

 management and development programs. 



