Fish Culture Technology for Safety Net Rearing of Anadromous Salmonids

Captive broodstock programs are a form of artificial propagation where salmon are reared through all or most of their life protected from predation and other forms of natural mortality.  Theoretically, captive broodstock programs could increase the number of fish surviving to maturation by more than two orders of magnitude over survival in nature.  The Northwest Fisheries Science Centers captive broodstock programs for sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) have been in operation for almost 20 years with notable success.  This presentation will describe the freshwater and marine facilities, fish culture practices, production, and biological metrics of these programs.