Dworshak National Fish Hatchery puts millions of steelhead in the Clearwater each year

OROFINO, ID (KLEW) — The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery in Orofino recently received the 2019 Excellence in Aquaculture Award.

What makes this hatchery unique, is that it is run by both the Nez Perce Tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"We're all here for the same reason: for those fish,” says manager Steve Rodgers. “To bring the fish back so people in the community can catch them."

If someone catches a steelhead in the Clearwater River, there's a chance it started life at the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery in. They release between 12 to 13 million fish each year.

"I'll see 3 and a half million fish in the course of a day,” says animal caretaker Aidan Frye.

The Nez Perce Tribe has fished the area for thousands of years.

"The tribe has always played a role since time immemorial with fish runs,” says Casey Mitchell, the secretary for the Nez Perce Tribe Executive Comity.

The adult fish come back to lay their eggs at the hatchery during spawning season. The eggs and spawn are kept in special drawers until the young fish are old enough to be fed. The hatchery works around the clock to make sure they are fed right and in the proper environment.

"If they get stressed out that could make them more vulnerable to disease and they could just die off from too much stress,” Frye says.

Eventually, the fish are released into the wild so they can start the cycle all over again. The work at the hatchery is about more than just making sure there's enough for local anglers.

"Salmon and steelhead aren't the only fish out there,” says biologist Lautiss Shebala. “There's plenty of other species that rely on them being a part of their ecosystem."

In addition to steelhead, Dworshak produces chinook salmon and reintroduced coho salmon into the Clearwater River System.

"These aren't my fish,” says Frye. “These are your fish and your children's fish and your grandchildren's fish."

"Their legacy is that there's always going to be fish in the river,” Shebala says.