Symposium Summary: Interactions between Hatchery and Wild Salmonids—International Understanding of the Risks, Benefits, and Options for Management

The “Interactions between Hatchery and Wild Salmonids—International Understanding of the Risks, Benefits, and Options for Management” symposium included presenters from the Pacific Northwest, Japan, Europe, South America, Alaska, and the Atlantic coast. The three-day symposium included 47 presentations organized into 8 topics of importance to the hatchery-wild salmonid interactions discussion. Topics included hatchery reform, management and policy, genetic and ecological effects, hatchery practice outcomes, physiology, pathogens, and population dynamics and modeling. Highlights of the symposium included diverse viewpoints on hatchery management to meet conservations goals, commercial fisheries targets, and provide population augmentation in response to climate change. Contrasting viewpoints included hatchery effects on wild populations, studies suggesting limited population boosts once augmentation programs end, and concern regarding loss of genetic diversity due to hatchery production under a harsher future climatic regime. The symposium culminated in an open discussion among symposium participants regarding hatchery-wild concerns. —Troy Brandt, [email protected] Read the symposium abstracts here.