President Obama's FY2012 proposed budget calls for $6,288,000 in funding cuts for operation of nine National Fish Hatcheries responsible for mitigating the adverse effects of federal water development projects.  These stations include Wolf Creek NFH (KY), Neosho NFH (MO), Greers Ferry NFH and Norfork NFH (AR), Chattahoochee NFH (GA), Dale hollow NFH and Erwin NFH (TN), Garrison Dam NFH (ND), and Jones Hole NFH (UT).  In 2009, these facilities produceda total of 12,786,600 fish and 15,924,000 eyed eggs, which directly supported 3,500 jobs and nearly $325 million in total economic benefit to local and state economies from Service operated mitigation facilities.  As many as 65 employees would be impacted.

During a period of economic problems in our country and the fact that a large number of people remain unemployed, the closure or reduction of any trout mitigation hatchery would have a negative economic impact on local and state economies. Many of the jobs created as a result of these hatcheries are in rural areas where unemployment is much higher than the national average. 

 

The entire trout fishing program in Kentucky relies solely on the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery. Fish produced at Wolf Creek are stocked in 115 different waters in 75 Kentucky counties and contribute over $34 million annually to the local economy.  Please find several documents on the right side of this page, which will help you understand the issue.  We highly encourage everyone to write letters of support and sign the petition which can be located by clicking HERE.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior
Secretary, Ken Salazar
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC  20240

DIRECTOR

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240

Senator Mitch McConnell
261-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington,    D.C.   20510

Congressman Ed Whitfield
2368 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.  20510

Congressman Hal Rogers
2406 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515