Finfish Aquaculture for Enhancement and Restoration on the West Coast

In California, white sea bass populations are enhanced to support recreational fisheries. Via artificial propagation, fish are produced at hatcheries and then released to rear in the wild.

Aquaculture is also used as one strategy to help recover Pacific salmon stocks that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.  Captive broodstock rearing programs are reducing the extreme risk of extinction for stocks such as Redfish Lake sockeye salmon and aiding the rebuilding of core genetic populations of Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon stocks from the Columbia/Snake River system.

Finfish Cultured On The West Coast

Pacific Salmon and Steelhead

• Chinook/King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): enhancement, restoration
• Chum/Dog Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta): enhancement
• Coho/Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch): commercial, enhancement, restoration
• Pink/Humpies (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha): enhancement, restoration
• Sockeye/Red Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka): enhancement, restoration
• Steelhead/Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): commercial, enhancement, restoration

Other Finfish

• White Sea Bass (Atractoscion nobilis): enhancement, restoration

Resources

• CA Aquaculture Association
• Fisheries Enhancement and Conservation in the Pacific Northwest
• White Sea Bass Enhancement