Stocking Addictions in North America in the 21st Century

The Wild, Wild, West era of exotic species stockings, translocations, and supplemental stockings in North America has come and gone, but stocking programs to meet various demands in inland waters are here to stay. Ill-fated and poorly-conceived stocking programs abound, but many stocking programs are easily defended. For instance, the ability of aging reservoirs to support self-sustaining populations of native species (e.g., walleyes Sander vitreus) often declines over time.  If proper consideration is given to potential downstream impacts and genetic conservation concerns are addressed, stocking programs that maintain those sport fisheries pose minimal risk and pay rich dividends to society.  Stocking protocols have long been available and the science of assessing stocking programs has matured, but biologists face an overarching problem: the angling public and their elected representatives are often addicted to stocking.  Unlike some forms of addiction, the costs (e.g., ecological impacts) of a potentially harmful stocking program are not borne directly (or immediately) by the individual. As with some addictions, a stocking addiction often leads to craving more (i.e., more hatchery fish; more waters stocked more often). In practice, it is often difficult to reign in the unbridled enthusiasm of many stakeholders (and some biologists) for stocking programs, even when good alternatives exist.  Education and public outreach will be key to aligning angler expectations with biological realities and ecosystem health.  Given the vast scale of inland stocking programs in North America, we have our work cut out for us in the 21^st century.