The U.S. government announced on Thursday a $240 million investment in salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest.
The initiative aims to boost declining fish populations and support the treaty-protected fishing rights of Native American tribes.
The Departments of Commerce and the Interior stated that an initial $54 million will be allocated for hatchery maintenance and modernization, benefiting 27 tribes across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.
Jennifer Quan, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region, emphasized the importance of these hatcheries. “They produce the salmon that tribes need to live. We are talking about food for the tribes and supporting their culture and their spirituality,” she said.
Many facilities are in dire need of repair, with a maintenance backlog estimated at over $1 billion. Quan highlighted examples such as the Makah Tribe’s Stony Creek facility, which uses a tarp for a roof, and the deteriorating Lummi Nation Skookum Hatchery, essential for Puget Sound Chinook salmon recovery.
Lisa Wilson, secretary of the Lummi Indian Business Council, expressed gratitude for the funding, underscoring the critical role of hatcheries. “Hatchery fish are Treaty fish and play a vital role in the survival of our natural-origin populations while also providing salmon for our subsistence and ceremonies,” she said.
The Columbia River Basin, once the world’s greatest salmon-producing river system, now has four extinct and seven endangered stocks. Salmon are crucial to the ecosystem, including as a food source for the endangered Northwest killer whales.
Despite the benefits, hatcheries have been criticized for their negative impacts on wild fish, such as reducing genetic diversity and increasing competition for food. Quan acknowledged these risks but noted that recent improvements in genetic management and scientific oversight have mitigated many of these issues.
“While hatcheries have been around for a long time and we’ve seen the damage they can do, we are in a different place now,” Quan said. She stressed that comprehensive efforts, including habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and harvest adjustments, are necessary for salmon recovery, especially in the face of climate change.
