Scientists have spent two years rearing wild steelhead in hopes of restoring threatened Puget Sound populations.
Steelhead hatcheries typically feed their steelhead a heavy diet to boost their size for release after their first year. But the slowly fed 2 year olds seem to survive at a much higher rate. In fact, holding fish for an extra year appears to be so successful that it may become the norm -- particularly for a new breed of hatcheries aimed at increasing natural populations rather than just producing fish for sport and tribal fisheries.
LINK (Via: Oregon Live)