Feds, Oregon Defend Sandy River Hatchery Management Plans

The latest from the state and federal cold dead hands deparment.

“Plaintiffs have not demonstrated that they are likely to succeed on the merits, nor have they demonstrated irreparable harm to naturally produced fish in the Sandy basin from the 2014 releases; in fact the relief they request would likely result in irreparable harm to the listed hatchery stocks, and would have dramatic impacts on the Sandy fishery and local economy,” the state’s filing says.

LINK (via: The Columbia Basin Bulletin)

"From my cold, dead hands"

As a result of some recent successful litigation on the Sandy, a threatened lawsuit on Puget Sound, and three proposed wild steelhead gene banks, pro hatchery advocates are crying foul. While their rhetoric runs the spectrum, the basic premise is that wild fish groups want to take away all their farm raised hatchery fish.

Spend some time surfing those group's websites and Facebook pages and you'd think the hatchery sky is falling..... nothing could be further from the truth. There's even a new movie and petition sponsored by some of these groups driving the pro-hatchery cause.

Lets take a quick look at what state and federal taxpayers have contributed to support their beloved Washington hatchery programs.

The Washington hatchery system represents a public investment of over $1-billion.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) operates 83 hatcheries of which 75 - 80% are dedicated to producing salmon or steelhead. There are an additional fifty-one tribal hatcheries and 12 federal hatcheries contributing to the statewide salmon harvest. By my count that's 146 hatcheries, god forbid you give up one.... or two.

From 2011 - 2013 The WDFW Hatcheries Division had a total operating budget of $63.9-million, including $11.1-million from the State General Fund.

In 2012, the Washington State Legislature provided an additional investment of $56.7-million in capital funds for statewide hatchery infrastructure improvements.

How's your local school department budget faring these days?

WDFW salmon hatchery releases almost doubled in 10 years, increasing from 50 million in 2001, to over 97 million in 2011 ...... those wild fish groups sure have been taking a bite out of those hatchery programs.

It is absurd to suggest that Washington's hatchery programs are under threat when almost twice the number of hatchery fish are being released into the wild than in 2001.

So how about our neighbor to the south?

In 2012 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife operated 32 hatcheries, 6 rearing ponds, 14 acclimation facilities, and 12 adult trapping facilities.

Funding for the operation of these facilities comes from a variety of sources: 12 are federally funded, 8 are state funded, and 12 are funded by a combination of state and federal funds.

Annual operating costs for these facilities amounted to approximately $25.0 million in 2012, of which $16.8 million was provided by federal agencies, $2.2 million came from state general funds, and $6.0 million came from other sources, including license fees, power producers and water users such as the City of Portland and Portland General Electric.

A total of 42.7 million hatchery fish were released into the waters of Oregon. Of these releases, approximately 37.2 million are anadromous fish and 5.4 million are resident fish. So despite having approximately one fifth the number of hatcheries as Washington, Oregon plants 50% of the number of fish. Those wild fish loving libertatds sure are doing a pretty poor job of dismantling Oregon's hatchery welfare state.

Despite what the pro hatchery/wild groups would like you to believe, the numbers show they have been the beneficiary of considerable state and federal hatchery welfare resources to the detriment of wild fish stocks. It's unfortunate that it took litigation to tip the balance ever so slightly back towards a focus on wild fish.

Here comes the judge......

The Pacific Northwest wild vs. hatchery fish debate has ramped up a bit recently as a result of some advocacy work on behalf of wild fish.

A plan for wild steelhead gene banks in SE Washington, a recent successful Native Fish Society lawsuit on the Sandy, and a Wild Fish Conservancy notice to file a lawsuit against the hatchery programs in the Puget Sound basin has lit a fire under the pro-hatchery base.

What the Native Fish Society and Other Radical Groups Do Not Want You to Know

Why The Wild Fish Conservancy Needs To Rethink Its Threatened Lawsuit

There is even a well organized media campaign around polishing the hatchery turd.

Unfortunately the hatchery vs. wild fish debate resembles the debate around global climate change. Chances are nobody is going to change the other sides opinion, no matter what the science says, and you pretty much know which side of the political aisle each side resides.

So this should add a little more fuel to the fire.

Four conservation groups are seeking an injunction in federal court to stop hatchery coho and steelhead from being used to boost the Elwha River salmon run and to stop the removal of wild salmon to use in hatchery breeding.

LINK (via: The Peninsula Daily)

Ted Williams outlined the issue on the Elwha, along with some facts surrounding the hatchery welfare state, in this piece in Fly Rod and Reel.

We're on the precipice of squandering a once in a lifetime opportunity on the Elwha. No matter which side of the hatchery fence you sit on we should be able to agree that we can give this one up for wild fish.

If hatchery fish will just bite more often

Editorial comment courtesy of the Coen brothers.

LINK (via: Oregon Live)

Steelhead Hatchery Programs Violating ESA

Fresh off a successful Native Fish Society lawsuit against the Sandy River hatchery program in Oregon, the Wild Fish Conservancy is now teeing up a meaty lawsuit against the WDFW.

Today, Wild Fish Conservancy, a Puget Sound-based conservation group, sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), alleging that the agency’s planting of “Chambers Creek” steelhead in Puget Sound watersheds is in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The group states that the widespread planting of the highly domesticated hatchery stock across Puget Sound watersheds harms wild Puget Sound steelhead, wild Puget Sound Chinook salmon, and bull trout.  All three species are listed as “threatened” under the ESA.

LINK

Action Needed: ODFW Coastal Management Plan fails to protect wild fish

The CMP developed by the Oregon Depatrment of Fish and Wildlife staff with limited public input, is primarily a hatchery and harvest plan that is designed to continue most of the current management practices. It is scientifically suspect, and represents a high risk for wild fish on much of the Oregon coast. The draft Coastal salmonid Management Plan (CMP) is available for comment until February 10.

LINK (via:Osprey Steelhead News)