Help The Recovery of the Wye Salmon

concerned

/ #17 Do NOT support this campaign !!

2015-01-02 16:02

I have discussed this issue with a number of fishery scientists and believe that the NRW have definately made the right decision to close hatcheries. Although I agree that hatcheries seem like a proactive rapid and helpful approach to restock our rivers, the scientific data and studies actually show that hatcheries do more harm than good to our stocks of salmon. The big flaw in the hatchery approach can be likened to an arranged marriage between a non compatible cock and hen salmon - man is not capable of recognizing the right cock and right hen for spawning and the probability is the fry and parr will be genetically weaker than a natural stock. In nature (no intervention from man), salmon are very selective in choosing a mate and this is critical because they need to adapt to micro-environments within the river system (differences in pH, flow rates, insect availability). It is much better to invest our money on improving the river system and removing predators - nature is the best facility to deliver larger stocks of healthy salmon.