149 



24 



4.5 Policy in WDW Documents 



The policy in WDW-1 is to minimize "competitive impacts of hatchery fish 

 on wild stocks" either by "selecting a hatchery stock with earlier return 

 and spawning timing than the wild stock" or "keeping smolt numbers at a 

 level that will not result in a large escapement of hatchery fish." WDW-2 

 and WDW-3 do not address ecological interactions of hatchery fish with 

 wild fish but do refer to problems associated with mixed-stock fisheries. 



4.6 Improvement of Policies on Indirect Genetic Impacts 



A. Institute policies and guidelines on indirect genetic impacts 

 of hatchery stocks on wild and natural stocks. 



Owing to the magnitude and frequency of fish releases from hatcheries, the 

 pervasive degradation of natural habitats, and the susceptibility of 

 salmonid populations to density-dependent effects (e.g., McCarl and Rettig 

 1983, Vincent 1987), the potential for indirect genetic impacts on wild and 

 natural stocks may be substantial. Genetic conservation is threatened if 

 policies ignore this potential and focus only on direct genetic impacts of 

 interbreeding between hatchery and wild or natural stocks. Effective 

 hatchery policies and guidelines therefore must address this concern. 



B. Develop guidelines for case-by-case determination of 

 allowable numbers of hatchery fish released in order to 

 minimize indirect genetic impacts. 



Appropriate numbers of hatchery fish to release depend primarily on the 

 population dynamics of the wild and natural stocks in the recipient 

 environment and the carrying capacity of the habitat. 



5. GENETICS RESEARCH AND MONITORING 



Research and monitoring needs for salmon and steelhead hatchery 

 programs fall into three major categories. First, better understanding is 

 needed of the status and variability of genetic resources in wild and 

 natural stocks and their importance for ensuring perpetuation of stocks 

 and species. Second, hatchery programs need to be properly designed and 

 evaluated for their effectiveness in sustaining genetic resources of 

 hatchery stocks. Third, monitoring of wild or natural stocks with which 



