Or. Admin. R. 635-007-0544

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 6, June 1, 2024

Section 635-007-0544 - Operating Principles for Hatchery Management

(1) Hatchery management and reform will generally proceed from the following hatchery premise: The ideal hatchery removes as many random mortality effects as possible without having any other influence on the natural life or experience of native fish and their habitats. The hatchery premise has five main components that managers shall strive to incorporate into hatchery programs:

(a) Removing random mortality occurring in the natural environment;

(b) Simulating selective mortality operating in the natural environment;

(c) Minimizing artificial selection;

(d) Providing fish rearing and training experiences to reduce unnatural behaviors; and

(e) Minimizing ecological impacts associated with hatchery operations (e.g., competition and predation associated with release location and number, pathogen transfer and amplification, pollutants, passage barriers, overharvest of weak stocks in mixed stock fisheries).

(2) Success moving toward the premise in subsection (1) will be largely dependent on funding, research, program type, and facility or operating flexibility.

(3) Hatchery program management plans shall be developed and implemented in consultation and cooperation with management partners and the public, and in coordination with native fish conservation policy plans at local and regional scales.

(4) Hatchery programs shall be managed to provide optimum fishery and conservation benefits, based on the best available scientific information. Most programs will contribute toward fish management objectives primarily by raising fish for harvest while minimizing the impact on, or benefiting, fish that spawn naturally.

(5) Hatchery facilities shall be operated to maximize fish quality and minimize adverse impacts to watersheds, consistent with fish management objectives, applicable permits and agreements.

(6) Monitoring and evaluation shall be adequate to measure progress toward fish management and hatchery program objectives, contain risks within acceptable limits, and provide feedback for adaptive management.

Or. Admin. R. 635-007-0544

DFW 65-2003, f. & cert. ef. 7-17-03

Stat. Auth.: ORS 496.012, 496.138

Stats. Implemented: ORS 496.171, 496.172, 496.176, 496.182, 496.430, 496.435, 496.445, 496.450, 496.455