On Thursday, officials announced that the U.S. government will invest $240 million to boost the declining populations of salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest. The aim is to support the fishing rights of Native American tribes that are protected by treaty.
The 27 tribes in the region, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, will receive an initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization, according to the Departments of Commerce and the Interior.
According to Jennifer Quan, the regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region, the hatcheries play a crucial role in providing the salmon that is necessary for the survival of the tribes. She emphasized that the tribes rely on these hatcheries not only for food but also to preserve their cultural and spiritual heritage.
According to Quan, several facilities are at the verge of collapsing due to a backlog of deferred maintenance that is estimated to cost more than $1 billion.
Quan pointed out that the Makah Tribe’s Stony Creek facility has a tarp for its roof, while the Lummi Nation Skookum Hatchery is the sole hatchery that raises spring Chinook salmon, which is crucial for the recovery of Puget Sound Chinook Salmon. He also noted that the hatchery is in a state of disrepair and is at risk of collapsing.
According to Lisa Wilson, the secretary of the Lummi Indian Business Council, salmon hold significant importance for their community. They are considered as essential as the air they breathe and their overall health and way of life. Wilson expressed gratitude towards all the individuals who played a part in securing what she called “historic funding.”
According to a statement made by the individual, hatchery fish are considered as Treaty fish and are essential for the survival of our natural-origin populations. Additionally, these fish play a crucial role in providing salmon for our subsistence and ceremonies. The statement further emphasizes that without the hatcheries and the Tribes, fishing would not be possible.
Once the world’s most significant salmon-producing river system, the Columbia River Basin boasted of over 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead. However, the present scenario is quite bleak, with four of these stocks already extinct, and seven listed under the Endangered Species Act. Salmon is an integral part of the ecosystem, and the Chinook salmon, in particular, is a crucial food source for the endangered Northwest population of killer whales.
Salmon begin their life cycle by hatching in rivers and then embarking on a lengthy journey downstream to the ocean. They spend most of their adulthood in the vast ocean, only to return upstream to their place of birth to mate and ultimately meet their demise. This upstream swim is no easy feat, making it a challenging and remarkable part of the salmon’s life cycle.
The wild fish runs have been significantly affected by the Columbia Basin dams, hindering their access to upstream habitat, causing water to slow down, and at times, increasing temperatures to fatal levels for the fish.
Governments at the state, federal, and tribal levels have long sought to bolster dwindling fish populations by constructing hatcheries to breed and hatch salmon that are subsequently released into the wild. Unfortunately, various studies have indicated that these hatchery programs often have detrimental effects on wild fish. One reason is that they decrease genetic diversity, and another is that they heighten competition for food.
According to Quan, although hatcheries come with inherent risks, they can be effectively managed to produce more fish for harvesting and even contribute to the restoration of populations while minimizing the risks to wild fish.
According to Quan, hatcheries have been in existence for quite some time and their negative impact has been observed.
According to her, the programs have undergone a significant course correction in recent years, adhering to genetic management plans and the principles established by scientific review groups. She further added that “we are now in a different place.”
According to experts, the recovery of salmon is dependent on several factors such as habitat restoration, improved water quality, and modifications to harvest methods. However, despite the urgency of the situation, society has been reluctant to make the necessary changes. Moreover, with the added challenge of climate change, the negative impacts of hatcheries on the species are further exacerbated.
Quan emphasized the need for a discussion on hatcheries and their significance as an adaptation tool in the future.
According to Greg Ruggerone, a salmon research scientist at Natural Resources Consultants Inc. in Seattle, the crucial aspect is to figure out a way to harvest hatchery salmon from rivers more efficiently, without causing any harm to the wild salmon that are also heading towards the same spawning grounds. He suggests that a plentiful harvest of hatchery fish will aid the government in meeting its treaty obligations to the tribes while simultaneously reducing the competition for the wild fish.
According to Ruggerone, the hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest have a significant role to play in ensuring the availability of salmon for harvest, particularly for the tribes. However, there is a major challenge in finding ways to harvest without causing harm to wild salmon.
According to Becky Johnson, who serves as the production division director for the Nez Perce Tribe’s Department of Fisheries Resource Management, each hatchery in the Columbia River basin was constructed to address the impacts of hydropower dams in the area.
According to her, the majority of them were constructed during the 1960s, 1970s, or even earlier.
Johnson expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating, “I’m thrilled about this chance. It’s not just the tribal community that benefits from it, but non-tribal people as well. When more salmon return to the basin, it means more salmon for everyone.” Emphasizing the crucial role of fish in the tribal community, she added, “It’s imperative that we have access to fish and that tribal members have access to food. They are constantly fighting to preserve this resource, and that fight will never stop.”
