Long Live the Kings has pioneered innovative hatchery practices since the organization was founded in 1986. Because we have explored how hatcheries can be used as tools for salmon recovery and sustainable fisheries, hatchery reform is in many ways like seeing our work tested and replicated on a broader scale. LLTK's hatcheries are dedicated to raising salmon and steelhead that look and behave like their wild cousins, are capable of successful natural spawning, and do not present a threat to wild fish. The ways we do this include:

Being clear about the goals for our programs

Long Live the Kings' hatchery programs begin with a clear understanding of the established goals for the fish populations involved. These goals then inform how the hatchery program is designed, managed, and evaluated.

At our Glenwood Springs facility, for example, we rear and release chinook and coho salmon to provide fish for sport and commercial fishers from Oregon to Alaska. One of the programs at our Lilliwaup hatchery is dedicated to restoring a self-sustaining population of naturally spawning steelhead to the Hamma Hamma River, with a series of specific, scientific measures of success.

In contrast, many traditional hatchery programs have been operated based on unclear or outdated goals, and evaluated on the basis of the number of juvenile fish released, rather than on their quality or on the number of adult returns.

Emphasizing quality and mimicking nature

LLTK strives to rear and release high-quality salmon and steelhead whose genetic and biological attributes closely resemble those of local wild populations. We take our broodstock (the adult fish used to provide eggs) from fish returning throughout a run, to maintain diverse life histories. After they are incubated and have grown into fry, our fish are reared in environments that resemble those they would encounter in the wild.

Juvenile chum at our Wishkah River Hatchery, for example, spend only a few days being fed in a tank before being released into a natural rearing pond connected directly to the river. They feed on natural organisms, take on natural coloration and behaviors, and choose when to begin their downstream migration.

In contrast, traditional hatchery programs rear fish in concrete "raceways," feed fish throughout their stay, and often release them at a particular time, whether they are fully "smolted" (ready to make the transition from fresh to salt water) or not.

Understanding the ecosystems in which our hatcheries operate

Hatcheries can only be successful tools for recovery and fishing opportunities if they are designed and operated in the context of the natural environment in which they are located. This means understanding harvest and conservation goals for all regional stocks, the relative health of these stocks, and the current and likely future condition of the habitat on which they depend.

In the past, hatcheries have often been operated in relative isolation from habitat and harvest management, rather than as the logical place to bring these activities together. Our hatchery managers are deeply involved in a wide variety of salmon management activities in their watershed, often having lived there for decades. They ensure that our programs are in tune with other regional efforts.

Our Lilliwaup facility, for example, has been designated by state, Tribal, and federal fishery managers as a central, critical piece in the recovery effort for Hood Canal salmon and steelhead. The facility also provides office and meeting space from which to coordinate the managers' conservation efforts with local landowners and community volunteers. In addition, our programs are flexible and responsive to changing conditions and evolving scientific knowledge.