Hatcheries

Press Releases

Environmental Advocates Sue Again to Protect Wild Salmon, Steelhead, and Orcas from Harmful Columbia River Hatcheries, as Feds Concede New Management Plan is Inadequate

After years of warnings and repeated Endangered Species Act violations, Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler have filed a new federal lawsuit challenging NOAA Fisheries for once again failing to protect these species from ongoing harm caused by Columbia River hatcheries.

December 1, 2025 No Comments

Press Releases

Conservation Advocates Serve Notice of Intent to Sue Over Feds Continued Failure to Protect Wild Salmon, Steelhead, and Orcas from Harmful Columbia River Hatcheries

Contacts:Emma Helverson, Wild Fish Conservancy, 484-788-1174, [email protected] McMillan, The Conservation Angler, 360-797-3215, [email protected] Knutsen, Kampmeier & Knutsen PLLC, 503-841-6515, [email protected] For Immediate ReleaseSeptember 12, 2025PDF

September 12, 2025 No Comments

News & Announcements

Our Debt to the River: The Scientific Case Against Industrial Salmon Hatcheries

Anyone who spends time on our rivers understands the profound story they tell—a story of return, resilience, and relationships as old as the mountains. But

September 12, 2025 No Comments

News & Announcements

Legal Settlement Reached to Protect Wild Salmon and Steelhead from Harm by Lower Columbia River Hatcheries

Learn more about a new settlement agreement that is leading to more responsible, legally compliant, and transparent management practices at the hatcheries Washington State operates in the lower Columbia River.

October 4, 2024 No Comments

News & Announcements

Joint Statement from Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler on Mitchell Act and SAFE Hatchery program Settlement with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

WFC, The Conservation Angler, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife agree to settlement in Endangered Species Act lawsuit over lower Columbia River hatchery programs that are harming wild fish recovery.

September 26, 2024 No Comments

News & Announcements

Conservation Advocates Sue Over Lower Columbia River Hatchery Programs Harming Wild Salmon and Hindering Recovery Progress

Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler filed against federal, state, and local governments for their continued funding and operation of Mitchell Act and Select Area Fishery Enhancement (SAFE) program hatcheries that are far exceeding limits under the ESA designed to prevent extinction of imperiled wild salmon and steelhead.

April 17, 2024 No Comments

Press Releases

Conservation Advocates Serve Notice of Intent to Sue Over Columbia River Hatchery Programs Harming Wild Salmon Recovery

Today, Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler issued a 60-day Notice of Intent to sue federal, state, and local agencies for chronic and ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) resulting from the Mitchell Act and SAFE program hatcheries on the Columbia River.

January 26, 2024 No Comments

Wild Fish Conservancy

WFC Legal Victory Marks Turning Point for Southern Resident Orcas and Wild Chinook

“After a hard-fought, four year legal challenge against the federal government, state of Alaska, and Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, Wild Fish Conservancy is thrilled to share a

May 7, 2023 1 Comment

News & Announcements

WFC In the News: WFC Science Director Discusses Congress’ Proposed Catastrophic Hatchery Funding

Listen to today’s interview with WFC Director of Science Jamie Glasgow on KGMI News/ Talk 790 radio about the released proposed reconciliation bill that revealed Congress is on track to make the largest investment in northwest hatchery infrastructure on record that could cause irreparable damage to wild fish populations and to endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

November 1, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Congress on Track to Approve Catastrophic Investment in Northwest Hatcheries, Undermining Wild Salmon Recovery

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives released text of the draft reconciliation bill revealing Congress is on track to make the largest investment in northwest hatchery infrastructure on record that could cause irreparable damage to wild fish populations and to endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

November 1, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Conservation Groups Challenge Washington’s Artificial “Fix” to Southern Resident Killer Whale and Salmon Recovery

This week, conservation organizations Wild Fish Conservancy and The Conservation Angler filed suit against the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for its repeated refusal to follow state environmental laws when setting statewide hatchery policy.

October 13, 2021 No Comments

Fish Trap Journal

The Passive Capture Technique

Through the wind, rain and the beautiful early fall days, Wild Fish Conservancy and commercial fishing partner Billie Delaney continue to operate the new experimental

October 4, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Federal Court Finds NOAA’s Harvest Mitigation Proposal Violated Endangered Species Act Protections for Wild Chinook and Southern Resident Killer Whales

A groundbreaking new ruling from the federal court in Seattle is calling into question the continuation of decades of unsustainable commercial salmon harvest in Southeast Alaska.

September 29, 2021 1 Comment

Press Releases

Wild Fish Conservancy Files Legal Suit against Washington Fish and Wildlife for Killing Federally Protected Wild Steelhead

WFC’s lawsuit charging WDFW for capturing, holding captive, and killing protected wild summer steelhead without the federal review and approval required for all hatchery programs that affect threatened and endangered species.

February 12, 2021 No Comments

Press Releases

Wild Fish Conservancy Provides Legal Notice to Washington Fish and Wildlife for Killing Federally Protected Wild Steelhead

Today, WFC provided notice of our intent to file suit for violations of the Endangered Species Act resulting from WA’s unpermitted operation of a new summer steelhead hatchery program in the Skykomish River.

December 2, 2020 No Comments

News & Announcements

Defending Science-based Hatchery Reform Policy

In a sparsely attended public meeting of the “Fish Committee” in early August 2020, a select group of Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissioners were re-writing

August 29, 2020 No Comments

News & Announcements

Wild Fish Conservancy provides 60-day notice of intent to file suit against WDFW for violations of the Endangered Species Act Resulting from Skamania Hatchery Steelhead Programs

Wild Fish Conservancy sends notice of intent to sue WA Fish and Wildlife over the illegal operation of the Skamania summer-steelhead hatchery operation that is harming the recovery of threatened Puget Sound steelhead.

February 12, 2019 No Comments

News & Announcements

Court: Leavenworth Federal Fish Hatchery violating Clean Water laws Federal agencies need to invest in hatchery upgrades, delayed 38 years

On May 3, 2017 the U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza Jr. issued a judgment and ordered an injunction of the federal fish hatchery at Leavenworth, WA, after ruling in

May 3, 2017 No Comments

News & Announcements

Citizens, Organizations, and Businesses Stand In Opposition to the Misuse of the Endangered Species Act

Last week we asked you, our supporters, to take action and sign on to our petition voicing strong opposition to the National Marine Fisheries Service’s

December 20, 2016 No Comments

News & Announcements

Comments on NMFS Proposal to ESA List 23 Hatchery Programs

For more than a century, fisheries managers have tried to replace the dramatic loss of wild salmon and steelhead with manufactured hatchery fish. But now

December 1, 2016 No Comments

Lawsuit Settlement Big Advance For Wild Steelhead Recovery

Wild Fish Conservancy and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have settled the lawsuit filed by the Conservancy March 31, 2014 seeking Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance for WDFW’s “Chambers Creek” hatchery winter steelhead programs.

April 25, 2014 No Comments

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