Sinking Salmon Populations Hidden by Hatcheries
You might think it would be relatively straightforward to tell whether the size of an animal population is shrinking, stable, or growing – but sometimes things get Read More…
hatcheries
Clips and Codes: How Many Central Valley Salmon Come from Hatcheries?
Every year, hundreds of thousands of adult Chinook salmon race upstream to their spawning grounds in the tributaries and mainstems of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Read More…
The Spring-run Salmon Saga of the San Joaquin
We’ve recently reported on the long and fascinating history of Friant Dam, the collapse of San Joaquin River salmon populations, and the groundbreaking lawsuit that resulted in Read More…
Steelhead spa: pampering can promote future spawning
Watching salmon during spawning season makes one thing abundantly clear: the reproductive journey from the ocean back to freshwater and subsequent spawning take a heavy toll on Read More…
Bumpy Ride: Challenges of Trapping and Hauling Salmon
While flying fish have evolved a novel way of getting around, salmon have also been on the move in some surprising ways. They can now hitch a Read More…
Reproduction Self-Destruction: Trojan Males as Invasive Species Control
Releasing specially bred hatchery fish could help native species by prompting invasive fish to breed themselves out of existence in the wild. An innovative project currently underway Read More…
Hatchery Delta Smelt: Hope for the Species?
The beleaguered delta smelt continues to decline in California, leading some experts to believe it will soon be extinct in the wild. Meanwhile, scientists have successfully cultured Read More…
Flashback Friday: Hatchery History
Our recent Fish Reports on the 2016 and 2017 salmon seasons highlight the major role fish hatcheries play in California's salmon fishery. On today's Flashback Friday, we Read More…
Fish in a Barrel: The Benefits of Terminal Fisheries
California’s hatcheries have released approximately 2 billion Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon into the state’s waterways since the construction of the first modern fish hatchery in 1942. Read More…
All in the Family: Inbreeding at California Steelhead Hatcheries
Steelhead, the migratory form Oncorhynchus mykiss, once abounded in California’s Central Valley. But its populations have crashed from estimates of 1-2 million (McEwan 2001) to a mere Read More…