106 



Several early Chehalis Basin hatcheries produced an annual average of 300,000 

 Chinook fry and one million coho fry in the Basxn between 1905 and 1938 

 (Wendler and DaschampB 1955b). This program wai considered ineffective even 

 in its day, in view of continued declines in catches. 



During the last two decades, hatchery production has increased overall, 

 although more so in some species than others. Coho and eteelhead hatchery 

 programs are now reasonably successful, contributing about 40 and 30 percent 

 to the Chehalis Basin catches of each species, respectively (Table 14). On 

 the other hand, fall Chinook and chum programs have not made significant 

 contributions despite long-standing hatchery programs. Hatchery production 

 accounts for most of the summer eteelhead catch, but this run contributes a 

 very small number of fish to the total catch. Success of extensive cutthroat 

 trout releases is impossible to determine, since it has not been evaluated. 



Pall Chinook Salmon 



Fall Chinook production has been 



erratic, although smolt production 



has increased over the last two 



decades (Figure 17) and has largely 



replaced fry releases. The Satsop 



River hatchery program began before 



1970 but production was discontinued 



in 1979 due to dwindling numbers of 



adults returning to the Simpson 



Hatchery (WDF unpublished records). 



In 1987, production was resumed using 



the Satsop Springs facility for adult 



capture and rearing and the Simpson 



facility for hatching. The 



Humptulips River program began in 



1975 and suffered a similar shortage of brood stock. Although the hatchery 



goal until 1991 was to take one million eggs annually, typical egg-takes in 



the last brood cycle have been under 150,000, because adult fish do not 



readily enter the hatchery; the program will continue with an egg-take goal of 



500,000 (Mark Kimball, WDF, pers. comra. ) . On-station releases are given 



priority at all hatcheries, since they appear to survive better than off- 



station releases (Stone, WDF, pers. coram.). 



Figure 17. tUtchery-rcared fall Chinook releaied into toe Chehaiii 

 Buin (WDF unpublished d*u) . 



Coho Salmon 



Coho production at Simpson Hatchery increased (Figure 18), first in mitigation 

 for the Skookumchuck Dam, and later in response to concerns about underseeding 

 (Brix and Seiler 1977, 1978). Fry and fingerlings in excess of hatchery 

 capacity arm outplanted to many Bites in the upper Chehalis system. On- 

 station smolt releases have also increased over the last decade. 



49 



