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As winter settles over north-central Washington, the days grow shorter, and temperatures begin to drop. In response to the cold, many animals adapt to brave the winter, such as through hibernation. The fish at our hatcheries are no exception; they slow their metabolism and find refuge in deeper water, sometimes even beneath a layer of ice! Our fish receive daily feedings during the rest of the year, but their nutritional needs are reduced to a few days a week in the winter. The reduced feeding and cleaning time allows us to focus on other essential tasks: caring for eggs, plowing snow, completing reports, analyzing data, and more! Below is an overview of the activities taking place at hatcheries in the Leavenworth Fisheries Complex this winter.
Entiat National Fish Hatchery
At Entiat National Fish Hatchery, the only hatchery in the Complex to raise summer Chinook salmon, keeping water flowing to the fish is a high priority. Staff closely monitor snow and ice conditions in the river to ensure pipes don’t freeze and water flow to the hatchery is maintained. Along with ensuring proper water flow, maintaining the appropriate water temperature is essential, as the rate of salmon egg development is influenced by temperature. Keeping the water at the right temperature is crucial to ensure that the eggs develop on schedule and are ready to begin feeding in April.
Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery
The grounds at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery are the perfect place to enjoy some winter fun! Many visitors come to the hatchery for sleigh rides, Nordic skiing, and snowshoeing. Our visitor services team leads guided snowshoe walks and activities for schools across the region, while our partners lead public walks and keep the trails groomed. Inside the nursery, the alevin (a newly hatched salmon with a yolk sac attached) that hatched in the late fall completely absorb their yolk sac (a process known as “buttoning up”). They are then transferred from the incubation trays to the green tubs and begin eating a controlled regimen of food. Visitors enjoy the excellent viewing of these 1.2 million fish up close! Yakama Nation Fisheries also use the incubation trays for the Mid-Columbia Coho Program. These eggs are shipped to other hatcheries across the Columbia Gorge to restore Coho salmon in the Columbia River Basin, and some are transferred to local schools for the Salmon in the Classroom program.
Winthrop National Fish Hatchery
Yakama Nation Fisheries also works with the staff at Winthrop as part of their Mid-Columbia Coho Program. In December, Coho salmon eggs were shocked and picked by Yakama Nation Fisheries staff; a process that removes dead eggs from inventory and counts the viable ones before they are loaded back into incubators. After this process, about 415,000 eggs were transferred to other hatcheries where they will hatch and be reared until March 2026. These fish will be returned to the Methow Valley and trucked to different acclimation sites, where they will imprint on the water source for several weeks before being released and making their way to the ocean. When they return the following year as adults, they will use this imprint to return to the acclimation area and spawn.
At the end of each month, weight samples are taken on a portion of our fish to keep track of growth and feed requirements. This process can get a little bit challenging as temperatures drop to single digits and sampling equipment can start to freeze! Indoor work is especially valued in the winter to take a break from the cold. It’s a great time to work on annual reports, which allows us to review how the past year went. We also work on updating manuals, repairing broken equipment, and addressing any safety issues.
As winter progresses, the dedicated efforts of our hatchery staff ensure the health and success of all our fish. While our work may change throughout the seasons, our mission to support conservation and fishing opportunities remains constant.
