rojoband-

Steelhead provide some very difficult problems for any hatchery program and as Todd points out it is virtually impossible to design a hatchery program for steelhead that will not have adverse impacts on any co-mingled wild stocks. As we have pointed out many times what those impacts and the severity of those impacts will vary depending on the circumstances. Whether the benefits from any program is worth the "cost" (impacts) from that program will depending on individual priorities and again the circumstances.

The better question is if there is going to be steelhead hatchery programs is a segregated or an integrated program better?

While it will always be the case that the best approach is to look at each case individually typically developing a well designed hatchery program is easier with a segregated program than a integrated one. By a "well designed" program I mean that the resulting impacts on the wild population are within established levels. The devil with segregated programs are pretty well understood but we are still learning about the those from integrated impacts.

Don't know if this is the place for a more detailed discussion of potential issues with an integrated program.

Tight lines
Curt