For the conservation minded fisherman, here is an interesting article by Jacques Leslie for the Los Angeles Times published on June 13th.
In the piece, Leslie examines the plan to remove 4 dams on the Klamath River in an attempt to replenish the river’s Salmon run. This is the world’s largest dam removal project, but Leslie argues that without stopping the aggressive stocking program from the river’s salmon hatcheries, the Klamath will never return to its pre dam status of the West Coast’s 3rd largest wild salmon producer. The reasoning behind this is the lack of genetic diversity that comes with hatchery salmon, and if they mix with the native salmon, this would weaken the entire gene pool, eventually leading to a population of fish that can only survive with human involvement. In Leslie’s words, “Allowing hatchery salmon to mix with struggling native salmon after removing the dams is like rescuing a dying man only to slowly poison him.” This is a great article examining the effects hatcheries can have on a self sustaining fish population. Give the full article a read here.
More on Salmon Conservation:
I understand the emotional argument about preferring wild salmon to hatchery spawned salmon, but what is the actual scientific evidence that hatchery fish “weaken” the gene pool. I understand that salmon return to the same stream where they are born, but is it true that salmon from the hatchery will only return to the hatchery site when they return to the river. What is the scientific data that they don’t spread out along the river to spawn.
Any evidence would be apprciated.
Thanks
Hey Bob,
We don’t make the news up, just here to share it. Here is a recent video I saw, http://www.moldychum.com/studying-the-impact-of-hatchery-raised-salmon/
Obviously there is a lot of debate surrounding this issue, we are just trying to share reports that we come across to our readers who are also interested in ways to protect wild fish.
You say that you are interested in articles to protect wild fish.
Are you interested in articles that show how hatchery and wild fish can coexist?
Where did hatchery fish come from? Wild?
If you are going into this areathen be balanced! Don’t cop out and say you are just providing option which you obviously believe is wild over hatchery.
If you are going here be balanced!