SALEM — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in August held three webinars and a public meeting to discuss making state hatcheries more sustainable.

These events followed a review of 14 hatcheries by outside experts, a requirement of the 2023 Legislature.

During the Aug. 1 webinar, Shaun Clements, deputy administrator for Inland Fisheries, discussed charting a sustainable future for Oregon’s hatchery system. He addressed Oregon’s hatchery infrastructure and the data collected to address infrastructure needs. The talk also focused on what is needed for the future of the hatcheries.

ODFW operates 33 hatcheries in all — 14 state-owned, 18 federally owned and one that Portland General Electric owns. Four of the hatcheries are in Eastern Oregon.

According to ODFW, the review looked at 16 hatcheries in Oregon, 14 of which the state owns and two that are federal. The hatcheries are in the western and central parts of the state and were constructed between the 1920s and 1980s.

Clements highlighted the need for concrete and infrastructure maintenance at the hatcheries.

“We have had several rounds of deferred maintenance over time,” he said. “We’ve been addressing maintenance needs since the hatcheries were built, but we haven’t been able to keep pace with the demand.”

The presentation also discussed the original assumptions made when the hatcheries were constructed.

“One hundred years ago, assumptions were made about how successful the hatcheries could be in the future,” Clements said. “One assumption was that we would always have a stable environment with abundant water and cool temperatures. Another was that there would be minimal fire risk. And a third, which is becoming increasingly important, is the need for reliable broodstock.”

To address infrastructure needs, ODFW will continue to develop and implement strategic deferred maintenance plans and utilize the $10 million in legislative bond money.

“Around 2015, we spent some money upgrading facilities, including raceways and intakes. However, this investment is still falling short of meeting the full need,” Clements said.

According to Four Peaks Environmental, a third-party firm ODFW used for research on the project, future needs driving the hatcheries include the status of wild fish, ongoing habitat impacts and angler demand.

The assessment was based on wild population status, climate vulnerability of stocks in various parts of the state, expected demand for harvest opportunities and other factors affecting the need for hatchery programs.

The assessment highlighted several points. It found no change in the need for mitigation programs, and such programs remain necessary. Additionally, it noted wild fish populations are declining in Oregon, and the state needs harvest and conservation programs.

To learn more about ODFW’s hatchery initiative, visit shorturl.at/tPQRn.