COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, Oregon – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released six million fish from Little White Salmon and Willard National Fish Hatcheries on Wednesday and Thursday. A week earlier than normal, the release of these upriver bright fall Chinook is in response to warming waters in the Columbia River Gorge. The Service, in line with other fish management agencies, is responding to challenges associated with severe weather conditions in hopes of maximizing salmonid survival in the Pacific Northwest.
With increased temperatures across the region, the Service has also released 203,000 steelhead one month ahead of schedule from the Makah National Fish Hatchery on the Olympic Peninsula.
“As rising temperatures alter our landscapes, we must also pay attention to the way that our riverscapes – the lifeblood of our region – are being altered,” said Roy Elicker, Assistant Regional Director for Fisheries in the Service’s Pacific Region. “Reduced snowpack and warmer weather have changed the aquatic environment and we need to adapt our management.”
The Service’s Pacific Region includes 15 national fish hatcheries responsible for the propagation of 60 million fish. Facing a record setting year for heat in what is already the third in a stretch of warmer than average summers, the Service will continue to adapt to changing conditions and apply the best science available to ensure the health of future generations of fish.
Service Adapting to Warmer Riverscapes with Early Fish Releases
