Lower Snake River Compensation Plan Office

Fish Production

LSRCP hatcheries produce and release salmon, steelhead, and resident rainbow trout as part of the program's mitigation responsibility. Mitigation goals for the LSRCP program include returning 55,100 adult steelhead, 58,700 adult spring/summer Chinook salmon, and 18,300 fall Chinook salmon to the Snake River. To mitigate lost angler days for resident species, the LSRCP program stocks about 86,000 pounds of rainbow trout into inland lakes and ponds close to the project area.

Ten LSRCP hatcheries produced and released over 16.8 million salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout in 2002. Fourteen satellite facilities associated with the program's fish hatcheries provide opportunities for acclimation prior to release and adult trapping for spawning. LSRCP hatcheries are operated by FWS, Idaho Fish and Game Department, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

LSRCP program facilities, most located in the Snake River basin, consist of Fish Hatcheries, Satellite Facilities (fish acclimation and adult trapping), Fish Health Labs, and Monitoring and Evaluation offices.

Fish Health Management

The LSRCP funds fish health monitoring services for all LSRCP production programs. Fish health services are not only provided by FWS fish health personnel but also fish health specialists from Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Monitoring and Evaluation Studies

In addition to providing funding for fish production and health programs, the LSRCP funds an extensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) program. Important goals of M&E programs are monitor and evaluate LSRCP hatchery programs to improve operations and increase efficiency. M&E programs are also in place to determine what, if any, positive or negative effects LSRCP programs have on species listed under the Endangered Species Act. M&E programs are managed by the FWS, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.

Hatchery Reform

In May 2005 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) initiated a series of hatchery reviews to ensure its hatchery programs are part of a holistic and integrated strategy, consistent with federal, tribal, and state strategies for conserving wild stocks and managing fisheries in watersheds within the Columbia River Basin. These reviews are tailored after a successful process recently implemented in Puget Sound and Coastal Washington watersheds.

The goal of the reviews was to ensure that Service-managed and funded hatcheries are operating consistent with the best scientific principles, and contribute to sustainable fisheries and the recovery of naturally spawning populations of salmon.

The Hatchery Review Team, comprised of Service and other federal scientists conducted field tours with hatchery managers and their staffs, reviewed hatchery operations, and met with the Program's co-managing agencies and tribes to get a clear understanding of the goals for and status of each wild and hatchery population and associated habitat and management strategies to create reform recommendations for each hatchery program.

The following reports and appendices were published after the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan Program review was completed: 

Lower Snake NFHs (Final Report)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Summary)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Appendix A) Coming Soon!
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Appendix B)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Appendix C)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Appendix D)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Appendix E)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Final Report Appendix F)
Lower Snake NFHs Review (Supporting Documents)