Salmon & Steelhead Hatcheries
Hatcheries, or artificial propagation, are one tool to help support wild stocks and provide fish for harvest, so long as hatchery fish are managed in the context of our overall goals for threatened or endangered fish. Hatchery intervention can also help avert, at least in the short-term, salmon and steelhead extinction. However, it is important to limit interactions between hatchery and natural-origin fish by using best hatchery practices. Based on the current scientific information, NOAA Fisheries believes that artificial breeding and rearing of salmon and steelhead is likely to result in some degree of genetic change and fitness reduction in hatchery fish and their progeny when they interbreed with fish from natural populations. Hatchery best management practices harmonize conservation goals with the implementation of treaty Indian fishing rights and other applicable laws and policies.
What We Do
Fund Mitchell Act Hatcheries 1.4MB
Review Hatcheries for Compliance with the Endangered Species Act
Hatchery Plans and Actions currently available for Public Review and Comment
- Notice of Availability of a proposed evaluation and draft assessment for salmon hatcheries in the Snohomish basin, for public review. Comment period closes January 17, 2017.
- Notice of Availability of a proposed evaluation and draft assessment of a Tribal Plan for hatchery and harvest actions in the Okanogan River, for public review. Comment period closes December 30, 2016.
- Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for hatcheries in the Willamette River basin, for public comment. Comment period closes January 30, 2017.
Hatchery Plans and Action previously available for comment, now pending next steps
- Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Hatchery Programs on the Oregon Coast, for public review. Comment period closed October 26, 2016.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Hatchery Programs in the Puyallup-White River Basin of Washington State. Comment period closed October 12, 2016.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Hatchery Programs in the Nooksack River Basin. Comment period closed July 20, 2016.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Hatchery Programs in the Duwamish-Green River basin of Washington State. Comment period closed June 3, 2016.
- Notice of Availability of Hatchery Plan and draft Environmental Assessment for Mad River winter steelhead. Comment period closed May 19, 2016.
- Notice of Availability of updated application for section 10 permits, Methow hatchery program. Comment period closed May 18, 2016.
Hatchery Programs Currently Approved or Permitted
- Hood Canal Hatchery Programs
- N.E. Oregon/S.E. Washington Chinook Salmon Hatchery Programs
- Dungeness Salmon Hatchery Programs
- Five Early Winter Steelhead Hatchery Programs in Puget Sound
- Okanogan Spring Chinook Salmon - Permit 18928
- Lake Ozette Sockeye Salmon Hatchery biological opinion
- Sandy River (Oregon) Hatchery Programs
Northwest Hatcheries
Map of Northwest Hatchery Programs 3.5MB
Puget Sound Hatcheries Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Columbia Basin Hatchery Final Environmental Impact Statement
Resources
Hatchery Policies
Final ESA Hatchery Listing Policy 2005 98kb
Interim ESA Hatchery Listing Policy 1993 538kb
Guidance
HGMP Template Instructions 44kb
HGMP Template 140kb
APR Performance Standards and Indicators
SCA Appendix C: Assessing Benefits & Risks... 568kb
SCA Appendix D: Interior Columbia Hatchery Effects Report 1.4MB
Harm Rule (64 FR 60727) 31kb
Instructions for Section 4(d) Rule Applications 597kb
Technical Memorandum: Viable Salmon Populations 1.3MB