Projects and Research

Here's a link to our Library Collection to view all projects and research.

Rapid Response Genetic Analysis

What species is this? Or, what population did this individual come from? These types of questions can be answered by comparing DNA from an individual in question to a database of reference samples. In some situations answering these questions is critical for making urgent management decisions, in…

Genetic Risks and Benefits Associated With Hatchery Protocols

Early questions in this category mostly concerned culture practices which introduced artificial selection, such as selectively spawning the largest fish or the earliest-returning fish, or mixing the milt of several males prior to fertilization. Hatchery managers must also make a large number of…

How Divergent is this Population?

How divergent is this population? Where are the boundaries between populations of this species? These types of questions are often asked in the context of listing, de-listing or development of recovery plans for threatened or endangered species. However, understanding population structure and…

How Genetically Healthy is this Population or Species?

One of our ultimate goals as an agency is to maintain viable populations of fish and wildlife that have a high likelihood of persisting into the future. Genetic data play a critical role, for things such as inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity, hybridization, and a number of breeding individuals…

How Can Genetics Help Me? or What Does This Genetics Study Mean?

As employees of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, our most important function is providing technical support for our regional and field offices. We are a resource for our offices and partners to provide expertise in the application and interpretation of genetic techniques. We assist managers with…

Is the Quality of the Feed Good and Good for the Fish? What Do These Results Mean?

Since the 1960s, Abernathy has had a Fish Feed Quality Control (FFQC) program for the hatcheries in the Pacific and Pacific Southwest Regions. Inspections are done at the feed mills when open formula feeds are made and if there is a feed problem at a hatchery, that feed is analyzed at Abernathy.…

How Do We Determine What to Feed Fish or Other Aquatic Animals We've Brought Into Refugia?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has responsibility for threatened and endangered aquatic species in addition to the species they raise for mitigation and recovery in conservation hatcheries. These species, due to habitat degradation and loss, may need to be held in refugia. The success of such a…

How Can I Feed This Fish for the Best Result?

Feeding fish in NFHs can be challenging. The commercial feeds that are available are high energy ones and are formulated for rapid growth, which is not necessarily desired in a conservation hatchery. Questions arise from the hatcheries about feed rates, methods and protocols. The answers they need…

Preparing for the Future, Are These Alternative Ingredients Appropriate for Pacific Salmon and Steelhead?

With the volatile commodities market and the actual scarcity of some ingredients such as fish meal and oil, feeds using alternative proteins and oils need to be tested. Feeds that have already been developed in the commercial feed industry may not meet the needs of FWS. Fish nutrition research at…

How Do Feeds Impact Water Quality and How Can We Mitigate for Phosphorus and Solids Loss in Hatchery Effluent?

The Environmental Protection Agency has prepared guidelines for effluent discharges from commercial, federal, state, tribal, and private hatchery facilities. Phosphorous is generally the first limiting nutrient in fresh water for aquatic plant growth. Fish hatchery water effluent is a source of…

What are the Differences Between Pacific Salmon Reared in a Hatchery vs. in the Wild?

As a way to mitigate for fish losses from habitat destruction, fish passage barriers, and over-harvest, millions of Pacific salmon and steelhead are reared in and released from hatcheries in the Columbia River basin and the west coast of North America. Unfortunately, Pacific salmon reared in…

Does Aquatic Habitat Restoration Benefit Non-Target Species?

In addition to hatcheries, habitat restoration is also used as a way to mitigate for human-caused habitat destruction. Currently, great effort and cost is spent on restoring streams to a more historically natural state in hopes of increasing salmonid survival and abundance. One of the most widely…

What Can Be Done to Limit Ecological Damage From Non-Native Species?

The introduction and spread of non-native aquatic species can have profound consequences for aquatic habitats and species. From hybridization between trout species to ecosystem-level changes caused by zebra and quagga mussels, addressing threats and impacts from non-native species are a challenge…

How Will Climate Change Affect Fish Populations And How We Manage Them?

The most direct effect of climate change on fish populations is expected to be from changes to water temperature and water availability, which can affect individual growth, survival, and movement. To inform how changes in temperature and stream flow might affect fish populations of interest, we…

How Can Managers Make Better Decisions When Data Are Sparse?

Natural resource managers often face hard decisions with uncertain outcomes. Common questions we have encountered include: What is the best way to conserve fish populations in the presence of dams when other threats are also present? or Will removing this migration barrier to benefit native fish…

Are We Stressing These Fish?

Whether electrofishing juvenile fish in a stream to obtain population estimates or cleaning hatchery raceways, our activities can stress fish. As much as possible we try to avoid stressing fish as this can have negative effects on most biological processes, including disease resistance, growth and…

How Do We Monitor Fish in the Wild Without Changing Their Behavior?

Fish biologists often need to capture and tag fish in order to monitor their behavior and movements in the wild. However, the process of capturing the animals and implanting transmitters can be stressful and alter the behavior of a fish, thereby biasing research results. By studying the physiology…

Why Do Adult Returns Differ at Two Nearby Steelhead Hatcheries?

Analysis of tagging data has revealed that survival to adulthood of steelhead released from one state hatchery is generally 1.5 to 3 times higher than that of the same stock of steelhead released from a nearby hatchery. The mechanisms for the differences in post-release performance between fish…

Are We Increasing Early Sexual Maturation Rates in Hatchery Salmon?

High energy diets and high feed rates used in salmon hatcheries can cause early sexual maturation in male salmon. Early maturing male salmon may stay in freshwater and spawn at an early age rather than migrate to the ocean to feed for months or years. Because of this, these fish are usually smaller…

How Might Changing Ocean Conditions Affect Spawning Success at a Hatchery

Although ocean conditions are known to have a direct effect on growth and survival of salmon at sea, there is less information on the effects of ocean conditions on salmon egg quality and reproductive success. To increase our understanding of the relationship between ocean conditions and egg…

Understanding Mussels

Freshwater mussels, benthic and filter feeding, maintain or improve water quality conditions and support diverse aquatic communities that are beneficial for salmon, lamprey and other native fish. The mussels also have cultural importance for the tribes of the Pacific Northwest in that they are…