Columbia River Basin, Columbia Gorge Province, Little White Salmon, Big White Salmon, and Wind River Watersheds: Carson, Spring Creek, Little White Salmon, and Willard National Fish Hatcheries. Assessments and Recommendations.

摘要

Long-term conservation needs of natural salmonid populations and their inherent genetic resources require a reexamination of the role of hatcheries in basin-wide management and conservation strategies. Hatcheries must be viewed as part of the environmental and ecological landscape to help achieve both conservation and harvest goals. These goals need to be part of a holistic and integrated strategy that combines habitat, hydropower and harvest needs for conserving and managing fishery resources. These strategies must establish short- and long-term goals for both hatchery-propagated and naturally-spawning populations. To ensure that its hatchery programs are best meeting conservation and harvest goals, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) began, in October 2005, a four-year review of 21 salmon and steelhead hatcheries that the Service owns or operates in the Columbia River Basin. The goal of this review is to ensure that Service hatcheries operate in accordance with best scientific principles, and contribute to sustainable fisheries and the conservation of naturally-spawning populations of salmon, steelhead and other aquatic species. The Services review process is modeled after the recent Puget Sound and Coastal Washington Hatchery Reform Project. The Service plans to complete its reviews by the end of 2009. The report presented here provides benefit/risk assessments and recommendations for salmon and steelhead propagation programs conducted at four National Fish Hatcheries in the Columbia River Gorge region of Washington State: Carson National Fish Hatchery (NFH), Little White Salmon NFH, Willard NFH, and Spring Creek NFH.