Hatcheries are a fact of life in fisheries management. I won't deny that there are problems, but they can be worked through. Using locally adapted stock can help. Re-building "wild" stocks by using hatcheries as a supplement to natural production in another option.

Keep in mind that private individuals, the states, the federal government, and the tribes have been involved in hatchery production for more than 100 years across the country. At the same time, all of us have contributed to the decline in habitat conditions. In many cases, the local hatchery is the only reason we still have fish to pursue.

In the "good old days" the state and the feds blended stocks and moved fish around. If one looks through WDFW hatchery records or other agency hatchery records, it quickly becomes apparent that there are very few locations, if any, that you can make an argument for a truly unique, wild run. Folks have been blending stocks for years. It is only in the past few years that more consideration has been given to building on locally adapted fish.

Fish, given the chance, are remarkably resilient and adaptable. Not all fish return to the hatchery they were released from. Some show up at hatcheries in different river basins.

We need to build on the work done by the HSRG and tune our hatchery programs so that "wild" runs can be sustained/built up and also to allow for production to allow recreational and commercial fishing to continue.

Try to imagine what our fisheries would look like if there was no hatchery production and I mean no hatchery production including put and take trout for the lakes. Then think about the economic impact to the state.....it wouldn't be pretty.