Smalma,

Thanks for the catch. That figure did seem high, but in my rush I didn't bother to check the math. My bad!

Krijack,

See above. I messed up the math by about a decimal point, ergo, an order of magnitude. Even so, the cost of smolts is high. Where the numbers came from? Harry Senn, former and long time head of WDF hatchery division. When he retired he consulted on hatchery costs, construction, and operation for BPA. The numbers were modified by other consultants to fit different projects as they came up. Basically the cost is the cost, and includes all costs including amortization of hatchery facilities - capital construction, renovation at 30 years, and replacement at 50 years. All utilities, labor, machinery, supplies, and fish feed are part of the cost.

You want to know the real reason some tribes can produce huge numbers of hatchery fish? OPM = other people's money. Tribes get federal dollars under rights protection funding via the BIA, and certain tribes that have enough political horsepower get directed line item appropriations. Admittedly, some tribes also use locally sourced funds, like from bingo halls and casinos to help fund hatchery programs. But the lions share is federal funding.

A potential cost saving is that many PS hatcheries have cut back the number of steelhead smolts raised and planted. So they likely have above average costs/smolt by being under utilized. Increasing production to design capacity would optimize production costs, but then there's that whole ESA limitation thing affecting hatcheries these days.

Rivrguy,

Chum salmon generally pencil out as having the highest cost:benefit ratio. Although coho and Chinook would have better cost:benefit ratios if we include the value of salmon caught in B.C., not to rub salt in a wound or anything.

CM,

Shush about any SD summer runs. Never happened, and if it did, long gone. DL and all.

Sg