Chinook and other salmon are returning to rivers across Washington, and state and tribal hatcheries play an important role in buffering the wild population, helping ensure there are salmon for sport fishers, and meeting treaty obligations. Like past years, the Nisqually Tribe’s hatchery is collecting fish to ensure future salmon populations and research ways to improve returns and promote genetic diversity.

David Troutt, the Natural Resources Director for the Nisqually Tribe, explains why hatcheries are important for salmon, tribes, and orca.