Fishyologist - well said. We need to keep the communication lines open and we need to look at the long range issues of habitat protection and, where appropriate, stock protection. Hatcheries are not, as you say, bad in and of themselves. The problems go back to the practices used starting over 100 years ago. We didn't have the expertise even 10 years ago that we have today.

We can start the process to protect/recover species by using "hatchery" methods.....condor, peregrine falcon, whooping crane come to mind on the land side and many states are now starting to use hatcheries for recovery/maintenance programs for local fish stocks.

I don't know any hatchery folks who don't want to do the right thing and many are frustrated because of the politics driving agency operations. WDFW has their future brood document that dictate how many fish can be released and those numbers can impact the local fishing opportunities. They are also implementing procedures to ensure as broad a mix as possible on egg take and fertilization methods.

We can use hatcheries as a supplement to "wild" populations. A hatchery can serve as a bank by live spawning an appropriate number of "wild" fish and then releasing the progeny in the same waters as the adults came from. The adults can be released and maybe they'll come back again...

People are on both sides of the issue and we can't wear blinders. We have to have open minds and look for the best solutions. We have to make our feelings known to the decision makers. Most importantly, we have to use a healthy amount of common sense and good science or we can kiss our resource good-bye.