Wild Eggs Hatcheries Study Stirs New Debate

Depending on your perspective, a new study showing improved survival rates for steelhead hatched from wild eggs in hatcheries either supports the role of hatcheries in sustaining wild fish populations or highlights the dangers of ignoring habitat restoration. “But Oregon State University geneticist Michael Blouin, lead author of the study posted last week in the online version of the journal Conservation Biology, cautioned that relying on hatcheries to sustain salmon runs is likely to fail in the long run without restoring river habitats, because the fish raised from wild eggs hatcheries will soon evolve traits ill-suited to the wild.” Article by AP environmental writer Jeff Barnard.