MEET THE AUTHORS
Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.
Are hatcheries, originally intended to preserve salmon, actually harming the species? Get some perspective in the latest issue of Comstock’s that includes insight from CalTrout’s Central CA Director, Jacob Katz.
2 Comments
The science is indisputable that hatcheries are harming wild fish and recovery efforts. The current “well-intentioned” disaster in wild fisheries recovery is investment in unsustainable and non-volitional fish passage projects like trap and haul, barging, and potentially Gary Larsen style salmon cannons. These artificial money wasters don’t solve our fisheries crisis and make real recovery more difficult to achieve.
Will I think you should do a little more research before pulling the plug on hatcheries as a conservation effort. There are many species that would most likely be extinct or much more threatened without a little intervention. There are success stories all over the world. Like anything there are many ways to run a program and not all are good for conservation. A rescue hatchery type of arrangement with genetics management as well as proper conditioning prior to release and with strategic release may be the only chance for some species. Of course in conjunction with habitat restoration.