Finfish Aquaculture for Enhancement and Restoration on the West Coast
Aquaculture is used in all states of the West Coast Region to enhance Pacific salmon stocks that support commercial, tribal, and recreational fisheries.
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
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Chinook/King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): enhancement, restoration
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Chum/Dog Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta): enhancement
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Coho/Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch): commercial, enhancement, restoration
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Pink/Humpies (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha): enhancement, restoration
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Sockeye/Red Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka): enhancement, restoration
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Steelhead/Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): commercial, enhancement, restoration
Other Finfish
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White Sea Bass (Atractoscion nobilis): enhancement, restoration
Resources
NWFSC Endangered Species Salmon Project