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Friends of Northwest Hatcheries

 

fish counter2008 Salmon Returns

 


14041 Wind River Highway
Carson, WA 98610
509-427-5905
Hatchery Manager - John Hitron

Directions
Carson National Fish Hatchery is at the confluence of Tyee Creek and the Wind River, 14 miles north of the Columbia River, about 60 miles east of Vancouver, Washington. To visit the hatchery, turn north off State Route 14 at the Wind River Highway, about 3 miles east of Stevenson, WA, and continue for 14 miles to the hatchery. Visitors are welcome from 7:30 am until 4:00 pm daily. Call in advance for information about group tours, lectures on fish culture, and dates of hatchery activities.

Hatchery History
The Carson National Fish Hatchery, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, began rearing salmon and trout in 1937. During the 1980s, the hatchery began rearing spring Chinook salmon exclusively. Because of the loss and degradation of spawning habitat and the impact of dams on migration, the spring Chinook was in rapid decline. Since 1960, hatchery production has helped spring Chinook populations recover in the lower Columbia River.

Today Carson releases more than 1.1 million smolts (young salmon) annually. Funding for the Carson National Fish Hatchery is through Mitchell Act funds, which are administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

When to Visit...
Best times to visit are May through August to view adult salmon returning up the ladder into the hatchery; March to see fry being marked with coded wire tags before being released; and August to see the spawning process. Young fish may be viewed all year.

Carson National Fish Hatchery

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