This award funds operation and maintenance activities at alaska department of fish and games william jack hernandez sportfish hatchery (wjhsh)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 7 awarded $1,373,066.67 to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. This formula grant funds the operation and maintenance activities of the William Jack Hernandez Sportfish Hatchery (WJHSH), which produces over 4 million fish annually—including Chinook and Coho salmon, rainbow trout, and Arctic char—distributed to more than 200 stocking locations across Alaska. The funding supports critical facility operations encompassing grounds maintenance, infrastructure repairs, water systems management, building and equipment maintenance, and administrative functions necessary to sustain hatchery operations.

In addition to facility operations, the grant funds the marking and assessment of stocked salmon through adipose fin clipping procedures. This marking initiative enables fisheries managers to evaluate the contribution of hatchery-stocked fish to terminal fisheries, estimate stock-specific harvests, assess spawning escapement in stocked streams, measure straying rates of returning stocked fish, and evaluate sport effort and harvest at terminal locations. These activities directly support the Sport Fish Restoration program's objective of enhancing sport fish populations and improving public fishing opportunities while reducing pressure on natural fish stocks throughout Alaska.

The wjhsh produces over 4 million fish (chinook and coho salmon, rainbow trout, and artic char) every year, which get stocked at over 200 locations across alaska. Fish stocked by wjhsfh provide managers options to increase fishing opportunities and to reduce pressure on natural stocks. Operational and maintenance activities include grounds landscaping, road and parking areas, water intake and circulation, building repairs, snow removal, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, aquaculture equipment, general administrative functions, and discharge permits. The award also covers marking of salmon that are stocked by wjhsh into the wild. Adipose FIN clipped fish allow the estimation and assessment of the contribution of stocked fish to terminal fisheries, estimation of stock specific harvests, estimation of spawning escapement in stocked streams, estimation of straying of returning stocked fish, and assessment of sport effort and harvest at terminal locations.