142 



17 



egg lots with this mixture. Neither document addresses unequal sex ratio 

 problems associated with such pooling of milt (section 3.7.3). 



3.5.4 Rearing Practices 



WDF-1 cautions against selection during rearing by advising that 

 conditions be "as uniform as possible for all groups of fish." No guidelines 

 are given about non-random culling of individuals from incubators and 

 rearing tanks, a possible source of inadvertent artificial selection (sections 

 1.2.1.B and 3.7.4). Artificial selection of smolts is permitted, but only after 

 "the majority of each group shows signs of smoltification" to compensate 

 for sex-related differences in growth rate. No WDF document delineates 

 conditions which warrant such selection of smolts (section 3.7.4). 



3.6 Guidelines in WDW Documents 



WDW documents briefly refer to donor stock sources but are silent on 

 guidelines for adults mated, fertilization protocol, rearing practices, 

 and size of remaining donor stock. A document in preparation on 

 genetic conservation and a management program for hatchery broodstock 

 operations (John Kerwin, WDW, personal communication) may include 

 guidelines for these practices. 



3.6.1 Donor Stock Source 



WDW-2 and WDW-3 advise use of "wild stock indigenous to the river 

 system", and, when this is impossible, consideration of "other stocks from 

 nearby streams of similar size and type." Guidelines for donor stock 

 sources are vague in WDW-1 and WDW-6, although the former document 

 suggests strategies to minimize interbreeding of hatchery-released fish 

 with wild stocks. 



3.7 Improvement of Hatchery Broodstock and Rearing Guidelines 



A. Establish written guidelines for maintaining similar genetic 

 resources and life history patterns in hatchery broodstocks 

 and wild or natural stocks with which they may genetically 

 interact. 



B. Provide written direction on donor stock source, adults mated, 

 fertilization protocol, rearing practices, and size of donor 

 stock remaining for natural reproduction. 



