The National Fish Hatchery System raises millions of fish and aquatic wildlife to improve sustainable recreational fishing, support fisheries that have been impacted by a federal dam, recover federally listed threatened or endangered species, fulfill our Tribal Trust responsibilities, and prevent at-risk species from becoming endangered.

What We Do

Our Services

2023 By the Numbers:

  • 126 million - Fish released by national fish hatcheries
  • 49 million - Eggs transferred through the National Broodstock Program
  • 20 million - Fish distributed to Tribal lands
  • 118 million - Sport fish stocked to support state recreational fishing
  • 90 threatened and endangered species – raised on national fish hatcheries
  • 20 million threatened or endangered animals – released to support wild populations and preserve genetic diversity

Latest Stories and Topics

Stories
A beaver climbing out of the water onto some cement bricks with tree branches in the background
Our Partners
Beavers and Salmon: Partners in Restoration
At the Leavenworth Fisheries Complex in Washington State, our commitment to restoring salmon populations goes beyond raising and releasing fish. Our partnerships with the Wenatchee Entiat Beaver Project and the Methow Okanogan Beaver Project exemplify how we harness collaboration and creativity to...
Wetland with birds in low light
Land Management
Service Seeks Public Input to Improve Access to Federal Lands
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to identify Service-managed lands where people would most like to see new or improved public recreation access. This effort continues the Service’s goal to expand public access to federal lands and ensure that everyone has access to the...
a decorative blue backgroung
Wildlife Management
National Aquaculture Development Plan
The United States is releasing an updated National Aquaculture Development Plan to strengthen U.S. commitment to food security, climate resilience, and the protection of threatened and endangered marine and freshwater species.
Looking across a green lawn with trees in the background is a large yellow house with a wrap around porch. In the foreground, near the house are several tents set up providing a place for storm volunteers to stay.
Our People
Hatchery Hosts Flood Relief Volunteers
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene dropped catastrophic amounts of rain on the mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. This event resulted in historic flooding and damage to an enormous swath of the southern Appalachians. Erwin National Fish Hatchery is proud to be...
Bright blue crustacean, a Big Sandy crayfish
Wildlife Management
Home for the holidays
For the iconic Big Sandy crayfish, home-sweet-home is the sandy, pebbled river bottom of the McClure, the 17.9-mile-long river that flows through the heart of central Appalachia. The Service and it’s partners Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and West Liberty University are working to...
a group of students crowd a table with white tubs full of macroinvertebrates and detritus/decaying leaves
For Parents and Educators
Kids in the Creek: Fostering the Next Generation of Natural Resources Stewards
During an early fall week at Entiat National Fish Hatchery, more than 200 high school students swapped their laptops and school attire for data sheets and waders, ready to immerse themselves in the dynamic Entiat River.
View All News

Our Library

A smiling mother holds her baby while watching large trout swim by through underwater display windows.
Image Details
A bluish-green fish with brown gills swims above a bed of rocks
National Fish Hatchery System: By the Numbers (2023)
In 2023 the National Fish Hatchery System raised and stocked more than 120 million fish and aquatic wildlife for conservation! Since 1872, national fish hatcheries have been raising fish and aquatic wildlife to improve sustainable recreational fishing, support fisheries that have been impacted by a...
Story
Wildlife Management
A profile view of a green-colored, spotted fish held with two hands.
The National Fish Hatchery System Supports Aquatic Conservation
National fish hatcheries are an important part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s mission to conserve, protect, and enhance, fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. National fish hatcheries raise threatened, endangered, or at-risk species for eventual release into a natural setting, or to protect...
Story
Wildlife Management
A jet black, scaly snake with a burnt orange colored face curled up in some grass
Fighting for Endangered Species - Just Below the Surface
Fifty years ago, facing the catastrophic loss of species across the country, the nation passed a landmark law which mobilized a generation of conservation. The Endangered Species Act was a collective commitment to protect and preserve biodiversity across the globe – for all creatures great and...
Story
Endangered Species Act
a big silver colored fish
Wild Fish Health Survey - Protecting Wild Fisheries
Just like in human populations, fish diseases can emerge and spread naturally, or they can be unintentionally spread from one population of fish to another. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s fish health centers have launched a new tool to help in the fight to protect wild fisheries.
Story
Wildlife Management
A boy holds a fish in his hands and smiles at the camera. A person next to him holds a fishing rod an bobber.
Recreational Fishing
Did you know that you can be a super-star conservationist just by going fishing? Whether you prefer fly-fishing on a wild and scenic river, noodling for catfish, or dropping a line in an urban waterway, here are some basics to get you started fishing responsibly!
Library Collection
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