Originally Posted By: eyeFISH
Originally Posted By: cohoangler


However, once a conservation RECOVERY hatchery program successfully establishes an appropriate number of spawning adults, the program should change.


Yes. It SHOULD change.

It should be shut down.

Mission accomplished. The hatchery has essentially worked its way out of a job. And it should be celebrated!

At that point, conservation takes the driver's seat so that a GD hatchery is never needed for that population again.

All it takes is a bit of discipline.


Your idea of shutting down hatchery recovery programs won't work for the most part. Unfortunately, many hatchery recovery programs will function as gene banks for the future. You have to ask why the native population crashed in the first place and then ask what is being done to support additional fish into a habitat that can't support them.