Cumulative Chinook Salmon Hatchery Returns

Spring / Summer 2008


Returning adult Chinook salmon are trapped at hatchery facilities in the Clearwater, Salmon, and Snake drainages. The adult fish are utilized for hatchery production (broodstock) or released to spawn naturally. Anadromous fish, such as Chinook salmon, hatch in fresh water and migrate to the ocean, where they grow to mature adults and then return to their native streams to spawn.

To learn more about how Idaho Fish and Game manages Chinook hatchery stock in Idaho, visit the fish hatcheries page.

Idaho Fish and Game manages six Chinook hatchery stocks in Idaho. Broodstock goals - the number of adult fish needed to utilize all of the facilities capacity to raise fish - are shown for each hatchery stock. The adults used as broodstock at Dworshak, Clearwater and Rapid River hatcheries are trapped at more than one location.

Fish returning to Dworshak, Clearwater, and Rapid River hatcheries all originate from the same ancestral stock. If broodstock goals are not met at Dworshak, Clearwater or Rapid River hatcheries, Fish and Game may use any available extra adults that returned to another of these three hatcheries to make up for the shortfall.

The fish raised at the McCall Hatchery are from adults trapped in the South Fork Salmon River trap just downstream of Knox Bridge (Warm Lake Road). All the Chinook from McCall Hatchery are released in the South Fork Salmon River. Fish raised at Pahsimeroi Hatchery are from adults trapped in the Pahsimeroi River and all are released on site into the Pahsimeroi River. Fish raised at Sawtooth Hatchery are from adults trapped in the Upper Salmon River a few miles upstream of Stanley and all are released on site into the Upper Salmon River. Because the ancestral brood stocks for all three of these hatcheries are different, the facilities operate independently. If the broodstock goal is not met at these hatcheries Fish and Game does not use adults from another hatchery to make up the difference.

The information listed below is the total number of Chinook salmon that have been trapped as of the date shown. It includes both natural and hatchery produced fish.


Dworshak National Fish Hatchery
Broodstock Goal - 1,800
Trap Date Hatchery Adults Trapped
To Date
Hatchery Jacks Trapped
To Date
Wild Fish Trapped
To Date
Dworshak Trap -- -- -- --
Kooskia Trap (Clear Creek) -- -- -- --



Clearwater Hatchery
Broodstock Goal - 1,860
Trap Date Hatchery Adults Trapped
To Date
Hatchery Jacks Trapped
To Date
Wild Fish Trapped
To Date
Crooked River Trap -- -- -- --
Red River Trap -- -- -- --
Powell Trap (Lochsa River) -- -- -- --



Rapid River Hatchery
Broodstock Goal - 1,800
Trap Date Hatchery Adults Trapped
To Date
Hatchery Jacks Trapped
To Date
Wild Fish Trapped
To Date
Rapid River Trap May 9, 2008 3 0 --
Oxbow Trap (Snake River) -- -- -- --



McCall Hatchery
Broodstock Goal - 1,300
Trap Date Hatchery Adults Trapped
To Date
Hatchery Jacks Trapped
To Date
Wild Fish Trapped
To Date
South Fork Salmon River Trap -- -- -- --



Pahsimeroi Hatchery
Broodstock Goal - 600
Trap Date Hatchery Adults Trapped
To Date
Hatchery Jacks Trapped
To Date
Wild Fish Trapped
To Date
Pahsimeroi River Trap -- -- -- --



Sawtooth Hatchery
Broodstock Goal - 700
Trap Date Hatchery Adults Trapped
To Date
Hatchery Jacks Trapped
To Date
Wild Fish Trapped
To Date
Sawtooth Trap (Salmon River) -- -- -- --