Does anyone know what happens with the spawned hatchery fish in our hatcheries? Do they go to a rendering plant? I know that some go to food banks but it seems that it would be good if spawned hatchery fish and many other (non-spawned fish) could at least be required to go back into the river.
I believe that there should be a certain number of required fish (from each salmon and steelhead species) put back into the system as dead carcasses spread throughout. The odor of rotting carcasses is something that signals a healthy river and it is rare that I get to smell that anymore. It would help tremondously with the outmigrating parr/smolt survival.