Salmon hatchery programs supplement wild populations but create welfare challenges for fish raised in artificial conditions. The interaction between hatchery and wild salmon raises questions for both conservation and individual welfare.
Wild salmon hatchery programs present a tension between conservation necessity and individual welfare. The programs exist because wild populations have declined due to habitat loss, overfishing, and pollution, and hatchery fish are essential to maintain some populations and support commercial and recreational fisheries. However, the welfare conditions in many hatcheries fall far short of what fish welfare science now recommends. Improving hatchery welfare - through enriched environments, appropriate densities, and release protocols that prepare fish for wild life - serves both individual fish and ultimately conservation goals through improved post-release survival.