PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
In a unique partnership, 40,000 “Jumpstart Project” winter Chinook are being reared at Mt. Lassen Trout Farm. The young fish receive food throughout the day from belt feeders over each of six raceways at the private facility that is helping to restore the endangered salmon stock in the Battle Creek system. (LAURA MAHONEY/USFWS)
FISH FARMERS AND BIOLOGISTS TEAM UP IN SALMON, RESTORATION EFFORTS By Laura Mahoney
W
hen you think of a private fish farm, you don’t typically think of conservation, but that is changing through a new partnership. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coleman National Fish Hatchery and Mt. Lassen Trout Farm have come together to raise endangered Sacramento River winter Chinook salmon and release them into Battle Creek as part of the “Jumpstart Project” aimed at reintroducing winter kings to the watershed.
A NEW APPROACH Phil Mackey has been raising trout for nearly 50 years at the trout farm, so when biologists approached him about using one of their hatcheries as a location to rear endangered winter Chinook, he didn’t hesitate. Mt. Lassen Trout Farm is a private aquaculture facility that is primarily known for raising trout that are used in stocking lakes and ponds, and providing food fish to restaurants around the state of California. Mackey and his daughter, Katie Harris, are co-owners of the farm
and take great pride in the fish that are raised at their facility. “Wow, it would be such an honor to play even a small role in the restoration of the Battle Creek watershed,” Harris said when she learned that the farm would be used for raising winter salmon. “This is something very unique, and we are extremely proud to have the opportunity be involved in this ambitious endeavor." Mackey and Harris both said that they have never heard of any other private hatchery working with government agencies for conservation related to an
calsportsmanmag.com | MARCH 2021 California Sportsman
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