Washington State Proposes Mandatory Hatchery Steelhead Retention

Washington state fisheries officials have proposed a plan that would make retention of hatchery-raised steelhead mandatory in all streams in the Southwest area of the state, beginning in July 2015. “The proposal is designed to keep hatchery steelhead off spawning grounds used by wild steelhead to the greatest extent possible,” writes Allen Thomas. “Research has shown when hatchery fish breed with wild fish the offspring survive at a lower rate than when two steelhead mate.” Read more via The Columbian.