Wednesday October 22, 2025
Source ONE —
HANFORD REACH, Wash. — The Tri-Cities Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is gearing up for its annual Angler Broodstock Collection event, taking place October 24–25 at the Vernita and White Bluffs boat launches along the Columbia River. The effort, now in its 13th year, gathers wild, healthy Chinook salmon broodstock for Grant County Public Utility District’s hatchery program, helping enhance the genetic fitness of salmon stocks in the Hanford Reach.
The CCA Tri-Cities Chapter has led the event since 2012, working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Priest Rapids Hatchery to ensure the sustainability of local salmon runs. Unlike a fishing derby, the Angler Broodstock Collection focuses entirely on conservation. Participating anglers, who must be current CCA members and authorized by WDFW, catch wild fall Chinook and turn them over to agency staff for use in hatchery spawning. None of the fish are retained for personal use.
According to WDFW, the Priest Rapids Hatchery releases about 7.3 million juvenile fall Chinook each June into the Hanford Reach, where they contribute to fisheries from Alaska to the Tri-Cities. Biologists emphasize that using wild-origin fish from this stretch of the Columbia is critical because offspring of natural-origin salmon are better adapted for survival. Ideally, about 30% of the hatchery’s broodstock should come from wild Hanford Reach fish to maintain native genetics. The hatchery’s fish trap typically captures fewer than 10% natural-origin Chinook, making events like this essential to the process.
WDFW reports that in the program’s ten-year span, less than 1%—just 0.6%—of the Hanford Reach’s natural-origin fall Chinook population has been collected for hatchery use, a fraction compared to the 12% harvested annually by sport anglers. The relatively small number taken each year has a meaningful impact on improving the genetic makeup of hatchery-released fish. The mortality rate among collected Chinook remains very low, with only a few fish dying between capture and transport each year.
For many anglers, the event represents more than a conservation project—it’s a community tradition. Since the program’s inception, 1,841 volunteers have helped collect 6,780 adult Chinook, building a legacy of stewardship and camaraderie among participants. “It’s about giving back to the resource we all love,” said one CCA member. “Catching a big fish is great, but knowing it helps sustain the run for future generations is even better.”
The Coastal Conservation Association is a nonprofit organization representing tens of thousands of recreational anglers across 17 coastal state chapters from Texas to Maine. Founded in 1984, CCA has become one of the nation’s leading voices in marine conservation, advocating for sustainable fisheries and healthy aquatic ecosystems through education, volunteerism, and policy work. Those interested in joining or registering for the Angler Broodstock Collection can visit the CCA Tri-Cities Chapter website for details and participation requirements.