Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery Facts

Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery Sign. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery is a unit of the Warm Springs Fish Technology Center, a component of the Warm Springs Regional Fisheries Center, Warm Springs, Georgia.
• Area consists of 31 acres bordering the Edisto River south of Charleston, South Carolina.
• Facilities include the world’s largest shortnose sturgeon broodstock holding/spawning facility; eight recirculated intensive culture/holding systems; a large recirculated egg incubation/larval rearing system; three large tanks for holding larger fish species; numerous holding and intensive rearing tanks; and six salt and freshwater ponds.
• Number of staff: four.
• The hatchery's primary area of concern is South Carolina. However, several freshwater and saltwater aquatic species, such as the shortnose sturgeon, benefit from our restoration and recovery efforts.

Station Goals

Endangered shortnose sturgeon. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Restore and manage interjurisdictional coastal and riverine fishes, such as the shortnose sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, and red drum.
• Recover of species listed under the Endangered Species Act, such as the shortnose sturgeon and candidate species such as the Atlantic sturgeon.
• Pioneer and develop culture techniques for both freshwater and saltwater species.
• Develop hatchery product evaluation techniques.

Activity Highlights

Bears Bluff NFH Hatching Facility. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Produced 75,066 endangered shortnose sturgeon fry in FY 2005.
• Completed baseline genetic, culture, hatchery, and tagging research on shortnose sturgeon.
• Successfully completed red drum rearing season in station’s saltwater ponds in FY 2004-05. Total fish stocked = 535,000 red drum.
• Entered into new partnerships with COE and EPA for restoration of shortnose sturgeon.

Fish Species and Capability

• Shortnose sturgeon: 5-year classes of progeny of wild stock are held on station for study activities, addressing reproduction, culture, tagging and hatchery techniques.
• Atlantic sturgeon: initiating activities to address questions on reproduction and culture.
• Red drum: Batch-cultured in saltwater ponds, marked and released into South Carolina waters.
• Station has flexible and unique capabilities available to propagate and study most freshwater and saltwater aquatic species found in South Atlantic Coastal Region.

Services Provided To

• Federal agencies including other Fish and Wildlife Service program offices.
• State agencies.
• Native American Tribes.
• Military bases.
• Universities.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s).
• The public.

Kids' Fish for Fun Event. Credit: USFWS Image.

Public Use Opportunities

• Environmental education and outreach to tour groups and individual visitors.
• Informational kiosk installed to familiarize visitors with station and service goals.
• Remote location with beautiful preserved live oak and Spanish moss habitat provides excellent birding, wildlife watching and picnicking opportunities for the public.
• Five major endangered or threatened species can be viewed on the station (wood storks, brown pelicans, American
• Aquatic displays for off-site events.