In biology, broodstock refers to the reproductively mature adults in a population that breed (or spawn) and produce more individuals (offspring or progeny).
National Broodstock Program’s Egg Distribution Service
The National Fish Hatchery System runs a National Broodstock Program that provides about 60 million fish eggs to our partners every year. The eggs and resulting fish are used to support recreational fishing, produce fish to mitigate habitat loss due to dam construction, support Tribal fisheries, provide a disease-free source of eggs to make forage fish for endangered species recovery programs and support fisheries research. Our specialized broodstock hatcheries maintain gene pools of distinct species and strains, many of which are no longer available in the wild.
