Tuesday April 28, 2026
Maven’s Notebook —
Hatcheries are a complex issue, tasked with meeting diverse demands that are often at odds: producing large numbers of fish for commercial and recreational fisheries while also serving purposes such as mitigation and conservation. These objectives often clash: hatchery fish can differ from wild fish and impact their recovery, so decisions about production, methods, and release strategies require careful consideration of conflicting factors. These complex challenges were discussed at the 2026 California Water Law Symposium, where a panel evaluated how hatchery policies fit into broader salmon recovery strategies under state and federal law.
The panelists:
- Jay Rowan, Branch Chief, Fisheries, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Rebecca Akroyd, General Counsel, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority
- Darren Mierau, Director of Science, California Trout
- Karrigan Börk, Director, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences (moderator)
The panel was organized by law Jessica Friley and Jasmine Garza, students at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Hatcheries in California
The Department of Fish and Wildlife oversees one of the largest fish hatchery programs in the nation, guided by a mission to provide fish for recreational, commercial, and conservation purposes using the best available science and ecological principles. The program supports recreational fishing for millions of Californians, contributing $6.2 billion annually to the state’s economy and sustaining 46,000 jobs. It also bolsters the $300 million commercial salmon fishing industry.