Oregon fishing groups are fighting a plan to eliminate summer (hatchery) steelhead from the North Santiam River. Last October, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed it was eliminating funding for a program that releases 121,000 summer steelhead smolts into the river.
Bruce Polley, vice president of CCA, said in addition to pressuring the Corps, his group would also seek legislation to fund the program on the state level. The program costs around $65,000 per year.
So if there is a 1% return each of those hatchery fish will cost the State of Oregon just shy of $55. Perhaps the CCA, who raised 14 million dollars in 2017, should just write the check?
Hi!
And what about the serious threat that hatchery fish are for wild fish? It is pretty well documented that ranched fish can harm wild populations, and even contribute to the extinction of local strains… Would be better to use the funds for habitat recovery that will produce sustainable effects sooner or later than pouring degenerate fish in the river, no?