My common sense tells me the money to build and operate the facility would be better spent on enforcement of fish and game laws. I'm not a fisheries bio so I can't say how wild fish would be affected by a new hatchery. But I can say that an increase in wardens would be a great help for the Skagit's wild fish--and not just steelhead. I say hire some new game wardens, outfit them with new trucks and guns, and give them a couple of new sleds.
And Jim, the Cascade hatchery does produce steelhead, but let's just keep that between the two of us.