Northwest U.S. Hatcheries: Due for Reform

October 16, 2006 By: Marshall Cutchin

This Oregonian opinion piece about recent research into the breeding potential of hatchery raised salmon elucidates the issues and answers as well as any other article we’ve seen.”Hatchery fish are different. Captive-raised fish don’t have the instincts and other traits of wild salmon and steelhead. It’s taken far too long for that truth to take hold in the Northwest. Even as recently as 2001, a federal judge ordered NOAA Fisheries to count hatchery and wild coho together when determining whether the species deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act.”