Role of Fish Hatcheries in Conservation
The US Fish and Wildlife Service operates fish hatcheries throughout the United States. These hatcheries are a significant part of fisheries conservation and restoration efforts by producing and releasing rare, endangered and other fish back into America’s lakes and rivers. Some of these hatcheries also help mitigate the loss of fishing from the large federal dams built in the last century.
Over 130 species of cold, cool, and warm water fish have been produced at the Neosho NFH since it was established. The current focus is on paddlefish and lake sturgeon restoration, pallid sturgeon recovery, production of rainbow trout for mitigation, and native mussel propagation.
The staff at the Neosho Fish Hatchery also protect the endangered Ozark cavefish in one of the springs that supplies the hatchery with water. In 1989, staff discovered Ozark cavefish using the spring. In 2002 efforts were taken to protect the area surrounding.
The hatchery water supply is from four gravity flow underground springs, located up to four miles (6 km) from the hatchery. The 1,500 gallons per minute of 54 to 64 degree, high quality water allows hatchery staff to produce up to 90,000 pounds of fish annually and to rear several species of imperiled fish and other aquatic species.
Read more about this topic: Neosho National Fish Hatchery
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