What We Do
Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Hatchery System raises and distributes millions of fish and aquatic species to support conservation efforts across the country. Across 71 national fish hatcheries, our work enhances state and tribally managed recreational fisheries, supports tribes' self-determined conservation and subsistence fisheries, recovers threatened and endangered species, restores at risk populations, and mitigates the impacts of federal water projects.
By the Numbers (FY25):231,260,775
Fish and aquatic wildlife distributed by the National Fish Hatchery System in Fiscal Year 2025.These distributions include fish and aquatic wildlife released directly from national fish hatcheries, as well as eggs, fry, fingerlings, and adults transferred to conservation partners such as states, tribes, and other hatcheries.
Distribution Snapshot Breakdown
- 128 million – Fish and aquatic wildlife stocked directly by national fish hatcheries.
- 103 million – Fish and eggs transferred to conservation partners, including states and tribes, or to support future release.
Distributions by Purpose Category
National fish hatcheries released or transferred fish and aquatic wildlife for six primary conservation purposes.
| Purpose | Definition | Release | Transfer | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitigation | Support for fisheries impacted by federal dam construction or operation | 68,728,407 | 21,214,414 | 89,942,821 |
| Recreation | Fish stocked to support state and tribally managed recreational fisheries | 28,527,320 | 39,203,421 | 67,730,741 |
| Other | Maintaining genetic diversity and production capacity, plus research, outreach, and fish health management | 834,664 | 11,408,830 | 12,243,494 |
| Recovery | Recovery of federally listed threatened or endangered species | 5,202,485 | 4,767,332 | 9,969,817 |
| Restoration | Restoration of non-listed, at-risk species to prevent future listing | 16,870,309 | 16,472,444 | 33,342,753 |
| Tribal Trust & Subsistence | Support for tribes' self-determined conservation and subsistence fisheries | 8,212,553 | 9,818,596 | 18,031,149 |
| Total | 231,260,775 |
Release refers to fish and aquatic wildlife stocked directly by national fish hatcheries. Transfer refers to fish, eggs, or aquatic wildlife provided to partners for future release, broodstock broodstock
The reproductively mature adults in a population that breed (or spawn) and produce more individuals (offspring or progeny).
Learn more about broodstock development, or research and monitoring.
Data accurate as of August 2026. This is not a final authoritative dataset; figures may be updated.
