Idaho Fish
Hatcheries
Fish hatcheries have been
present in Idaho for over 60 years. In 1934 the State of Idaho and the Civilian
Conservation Corps constructed the first rainbow trout rearing facility in American
Falls. The purpose of the facility was to improve the availability of the
fish for sportsmen, while also helping preserve native lineages.
In 1955 Idaho Power Company
began planning construction of the Hells Canyon Dam Complex on the Snake River.
Out of concern for Idaho's wild anadromous salmon and trout species, the Federal
Regulatory Commission required that Idaho Power Company compensate for potential
population losses resulting from the new hydroelectric facilities. In conjunction
with the construction of the Complex (consisting of Oxbow, Brownlee and Hells
Canyon dams) Idaho Power constructed four facilities including Rapid
River Hatchery (1964) and Niagara
Springs Hatchery (1966). Initially, the Niagara facility was used
to relocate some of the Snake River steelhead run into the Salmon River. Idaho
Power currently provides funding for the operation and maintenance of the hatcheries.
In 1976 Congress passed
the Water Resources Development
Act and the Lower
Snake River Fish and Wildlife Compensation Plan was
created. The plan required the construction of fish hatcheries whose operation
was intended to help offset the loss of Idaho's native salmon and trout species.
Fish populations were declining - apparently as a result of construction of
four dams and locks on the lower Snake River by the Bonneville Power Administration
(Ice Harbor, Little Goose, Lower Granite and Lower Monumental were all built
between 1962 and 1976).
In response
to the Compensation Plan the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers has
built over 20 facilities such as the McCall
Hatchery (1980) and the Sawtooth
Hatchery (1984). To date, the United States Federal Government has provided
funding for the construction and operation of over 20 trout and salmon hatcheries.
Bonneville Power Administration
(BPA) is in the process of repaying this loan out of hydroelectric power revenues.
In addition, each year they provide revenue to continue hatchery operations.
The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service is
the primary agency responsible for oversight of the hatchery program. They reco
ver and distribute the
BPA monies.
The Idaho
Department of Fish and Game is the agency responsible for staffing,
operating and maintaining the majority of Idaho's salmon and trout hatcheries.
Under
Title 36 of the Idaho Code the mission of the Idaho Department of Fish and
Game's fish hatcheries is to:
- Recognize the
value of natural fish.
- Provide quality
fish for anglers.
- Continue quality
fish management.
- Maintain and
enhance Idaho's fisheries resources.
- Promote Department
programs.
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These goals guide hatchery
activities and research. As an example consider a brief summary of hatchery activities
in 1998:
* Resident fish hatcheries
reared and stocked nearly 23 million fish weighing 1.2 million pounds .
* More than 2,500 stocking trips were made to plant fish in over 500 waters
in the state .
* Three captive broodstocks were maintained and spawned at the resident hatcheries
producing over 18 million eggs for various resident programs. These stocks include
Kamloop and Hayspur rainbow trout maintained at Hayspur Hatchery; and Westslope
cutthroat trout at the Clark Fork Fish Hatchery.
* Cabinet Gorge Hatchery produced 9.9 million kokanee averaging 1.94 inches
in length using a seven month growing season.
* American Falls Fish Hatchery used the entire 12 months of fish production
and produced an average 5.1 inch rainbow trout.
Look
at a statistical summary of Idaho Department of Fish and Game resident fish
hatcheries for 01/01/98 - 12/31/98.
Written and compiled by Jacqueline Harvey 1999.
Source Information
