What We Do
The Quinault National Fish Hatchery releases approximately three million young chum salmon, coho salmon and winter steelhead annually. The process of spawning adults, incubating eggs, rearing fry, marking and tagging fry, and releasing millions of fish each year requires dedicated year-round work from our hatchery staff, hatchery evaluation team, and fish health veterinarians. Please visit our Fish Production Cycle Page for a more detailed description of the work we do.
Management and Conservation
Since 1871, National Fish Hatcheries have been responding to conservation challenges affecting America’s fish and other aquatic species. Producing fish continues to be an irreplaceable tool in managing or restoring fisheries along with habitat conservation. In doing so, we help provide recreation opportunities to America’s 34 million anglers who spend $36 billion annually in pursuit of their favored pastime.
Quinault National Fish Hatchery rears and releases approximately three million fish per year. These hatchery fish helps support the population in the region and allow for their continued role for tribal cultural use, sport fishing, commercial harvesting, and the watershed ecosystem. This work involves a collaborative effort with the Quinault Indian Nation and other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices. These collaborative efforts include annual hatchery evaluation, developing hatchery management strategies, and adjusting production to account for changing habitat and water quality conditions that affect fish populations.