Introduction to Hatcheries and Management of Aquatic Resources (HaMAR)

For the past several decades, AFS has coordinated forums to discuss the role of hatcheries in natural resources management and address evolving concerns surrounding the use of hatchery-origin fish.  AFS has coordinated “Hatcheries and Management of Aquatic Resources” (HaMAR), to reengage AFS in addressing current issues related to hatchery operation and the role of hatchery-origin fish in aquatic resource management.  A scoping survey of fisheries professionals highlighted habitat restoration and management as complements to stocking; monitoring and adaptive management of stocking programs; rearing genetically appropriate fish; fish health and access to disease management tools; defining appropriate uses and expectations, and understanding the limitations of hatchery-origin fish; biological interactions between wild and hatchery fish; culture of imperiled species; and risk assessment and decision-making as the most critical, contemporary issues related to hatcheries and hatchery-origin fish.  Fact-finding symposia have been organized to bring these challenging issues before a body of fisheries professionals to distill the associated discourse into the next set of guiding principles regarding hatcheries and aquatic resource management.  This presentation will review the aforementioned survey and themes from a recently held presentation series, and will set the stage for the HaMAR symposium.