# Closing National Fish Hatcheries?



## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

I received this letter today from Great Lakes Sportfishing Council. These hatcheries do support some tremendous fisheries.
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Is USFWS closing National Fish Hatcheries October 1st?
Federal budget cuts are threatening to close the 117-year-old D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, a non-profit group that supports the hatchery said last week.
The hatchery is one of multiple fish hatcheries across the country targeted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which is prioritizing other programs over the National Fisheries Program, according to the Booth Society Inc. The USFWS has not confirmed that a decision to close the hatchery has been made.
Evenso, some officials say the USFWS plans to close many, if not all, of the nation's fish hatcheries on October 1, the beginning of the new federal fiscal year.
The federal government is planning to eliminate funding to nine Federal fish hatcheries in GA, TN, KY, UT, MO, ND, and AR, which will result in their closure. The closure of these hatcheries will have a lasting impact on local, State, and federal economies. These facilities also provide enormous ecological and social contributions to local and state communities. Nearly 7 million fish are stocked in waters across the country from only six of these hatcheries.
Planned hatchery closings
KENTUCKY- Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery
TENNESSEE- Dale Hollow and Erwin National Fish hatcheries
GEORGIA- Chattahoochee Forest National Fish Hatchery
ARKANSAS- Norfork and Greers Ferry National Fish Hatcheries
MISSOURI-Neosho National Fish Hatchery
NORTH DAKOTA-Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery
UTAH- Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery
The economic impact is tremendous - over 3,000 jobs created and a total economic output of nearly $300 million dollars is generated by privately owned businesses selling food, lodging and supplies to trout fishermen. For every dollar spent on these fishery programs a return of $67 dollars is generated in the private sector, and for each tax dollar spent producing trout, $2.34 is returned to Washington in federal tax dollars generated from private business.
It is ironic that the USFWS is celebrating the 140th year of their fisheries program; the oldest program in the agency. They are celebrating this historic event by cutting the entire fisheries program by 12.4 million dollars. They are getting a 47.9 million dollar increase in their overall budget, but have chosen to spend that money on other programs and new programs, and scrap a program that brings revenue into the federal budget at a 2.3 to 1 ratio and supports over 3,000 jobs in the private sector!!!
For a number of years, the National Fish Hatchery System, a branch of the USFWS, has struggled with declining funding and annual increases in the costs. In addition to rising operating costs, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Directorate in Washington, D.C., has emphasized and prioritized other programs over those of the National Fisheries Program. As a result, the agency has made the decision to permanently shut down multiple fish hatcheries nationwide, including the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery.
Contact your legislator now and ask them to see to it that our national fish hatcheries remain open


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Very interesting, thanks for posting.


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## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

Here's a follow-up, courtesy of Inland Seas Angler
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Federal budget cuts (make that federal officials and the Obama administration) are threatening to close the 117-year-old D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, a non-profit group that supports the hatchery has said.
There is also a hit list of at least six other hatcheries throughout the southern states that were originally scheduled for closure October 1.
However, in recent conference calls with other assistant regional Fisheries directors throughout the country and a subsequent call to our office, we were told agency officials were instructed to "Stand Down". Admittedly, the USFWS, largely due to tremendous pressure from the angling community to their elected federal officials, were forced to back down  at least temporarily.
The Booth hatchery in Missouri is one of multiple fish hatcheries across the country targeted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which is prioritizing other programs over the National Fisheries Program, according to the Booth Society Inc. The USFWS has not confirmed that a decision to close the hatchery has been made.
We need to continue to keep our legislative officials updated. We will keep you posted. &#61618;


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## frenchriver1 (Jul 5, 2005)

Might be the direct results of the cutback in federal funds as precipitated by the failure of the parties to come up with a workable budget in the past. Seems like we are still headed in that same direction.


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