Monday July 7, 2025
Action News Now —
The Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville has wrapped up its tagging operations for adult spring-run Chinook salmon.
According to the California Department of Water Resources, around 7,919 salmon were tagged this season.
Officials say the tagging helps track the success of hatchery operations and improve fish population management.
The DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife also continued thiamine treatments to address vitamin deficiencies in Chinook salmon, enhancing their survival from egg to juvenile.
The California Department of Water Resources reported that more than 17,000 spring-run Chinook salmon returned to spawn this year, marking the best return since 2013. Despite recent drought impacts, the hatchery continues to meet and exceed production goals.
With the tagging operations complete, the DWR and the CDFW have started annual summer maintenance at the hatchery. This includes cleaning the fish ladder and raceways and maintaining equipment to ensure its continued operations.
According to the DWR, the fish ladder at the Feather River Fish Hatchery is set to reopen in September for the start of spawning activities for the fall-run Chinook salmon.