Steelhead Hatchery Programs Violating ESA
Friday, January 24, 2014 at 12:00AM 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.