WDFW to end two early winter hatchery steelhead programs, transition to broodstock program at Tokul Creek Hatchery

OLYMPIA – Today the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced changes to two steelhead hatchery programs in Clallam and King counties to support wild steelhead conservation and future fisheries. These decisions follow engagement and review with federal fisheries managers and tribal co-managers.

The Department’s segregated broodstock early winter steelhead hatchery programs at the Dungeness Hatchery on the Dungeness River in Sequim and the Tokul Creek Hatchery on the Snoqualmie River in Fall City will end at the end of 2024 to reduce interbreeding between early winter hatchery and wild steelhead.

WDFW and tribal co-managers are developing plans for an integrated broodstock winter steelhead program at Tokul Creek Hatchery to replace the current segregated program. In the face of habitat degradation and climate change, an integrated program provides a tool to contribute to the rebuilding of the Snoqualmie winter steelhead run and fishing opportunities for tribal fishers and recreational anglers.

“The Snoqualmie River provides accessible steelhead fishing close to urban and residential centers,” said Edward Eleazer, WDFW’s North Puget Sound Region Fish Program manager. “Switching to an integrated broodstock program at Tokul Creek will support steelhead conservation and sustainable fishing opportunities into the future.”

WDFW is in discussions with co-managers regarding the future of steelhead production on the Dungeness River.

Juvenile early winter steelhead currently at these hatcheries will not be released into anadromous waters. WDFW and co-managers will continue to hold early-winter fisheries and collect returning adult hatchery steelhead to minimize straying to natural spawning areas as well as providing fishing opportunity for returning steelhead.

Salmon and steelhead hatcheries support recreational, commercial, and tribal fisheries. All hatchery programs collect broodstock to spawn the next generation of fish.

Segregated hatchery programs use only hatchery fish as broodstock to produce smolts year after year, often to maintain specific run timing or characteristics. Integrated hatchery programs collect and spawn wild fish as part of the hatchery broodstock to incorporate local genetics from fish native to that river system while minimizing impacts on wild spawning populations.

More information on steelhead conservation, management, and fisheries in the Puget Sound Region is available on this webpage. WDFW has also published a new report (PDF) on implementation of the Quicksilver Portfolio for Puget Sound steelhead.

More information on state fish hatcheries including production plans and escapement reports is available at: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/hatcheries.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.