Originally Posted By: JustBecause
Salmo,

I do think the Deschutes River releases being self-sufficient (with new facility) would open up incubation and rearing space at the hatcheries that currently support the releases - George Adams, Minter Creek, Coulter Cr, etc. They may or may not have the funding to increase the production but the space may be there.


Hood Canal facilities no longer support Deschutes River Chinook production. Changes to programs at facilities that support this program with incubation and perhaps a few days of initial rearing won't make any difference in production potential, but right now all of Coulter Creek's rearing potential is used to support Deschutes. If Deschutes became self-sufficient all of that production potential (at least 30,000 pounds of fish) could be new production.