I think that's an interesting question.

First, it's perfectly legal to do so.

Second, if you catch a fish downstream from the hatchery, there's a good chance that it's headed to the hatchery, where right now they need all they can get.

Third, if you're fishing upstream from the hatchery, the fish is probably not going into that hatchery, though they do sometimes go up and then come back and hit the hatchery later.

My personal take would be as follows: if you catch a hatchery fish significantly upstream from a hatchery, it is being responsible to take that fish out of the river so it doesn't spawn; if you catch a hatchery fish around or downstream from a hatchery, depending on how far off they are on their escapement, it might not be a bad idea to let it go.

If you want to keep fish, I'd suggest fishing rivers that don't have hatcheries, or fishing above the hatcheries, until they get their escapement of hatchery fish.

Always release wild steelhead.

Fish on...

Todd