Fish Hatchery Town Hall Meeting

Should hatchery raised fish be used to repopulate the Elwha River as part of the restoration process?  

Students watch short pro hatchery and con hatchery videos.

Click here for Fish Hatchery Town Hall Meeting Lesson Plan

Safety Notes: Throughout this activity, students are expected to be respectful in their portrayal of their stakeholder roles and in their interactions with other students.

Part 1: Introduction

Introduction: The Elwha River has a complex history that has had many cultural, ecological, and economic implications over the last 100 years. It has been the back drop for a number of controversial issues including Native American rights and dam removal; now the river faces a new chapter in its history as the recent removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams pave the way for ecological restoration. A major component of the dam removal process is restoring the salmon runs that have all but disappeared from the Elwha River after the dams were installed without fish passage; the introduction of hatchery raised salmon is the management plan developed by the Elwha Klallam tribe, with support of Olympic National Park, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service, and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and this has caused a wave of controversy between a number of stakeholder groups.

Procedure:

1)   Welcome students. Use table groups (2 groups may need to be assimilated into the others to get 6 total). Have stakeholder folders spread out and ask students not to open the folder until the designated time.

2)    Students have likely already seen the NPS Elwha slideshow, so remind students that they saw the PowerPoint that was focused on the history of the tribe on the Elwha, salmon runs on the river, and the construction, impact, and deconstruction of the dams. Basically assess their prior knowledge: ask questions about the tribe, the fish, the dams, and fill in the gaps in their knowledge where needed.

3)   Give students expectations for the debate i.e. time limit for prep time and presentations, everyone participates, etc. Give the OK to open their folders and start reading the materials and formulating their argument. 

4)   Present their positions/arguments to the group. While presenting the other groups should be taking notes and/or writing down questions. After all groups have presented, provide time for asking questions of other groups.

Discuss and debrief the town hall meeting.

Part 2: Stakeholder Presentations

Students read their stakeholder roles, prepare to present out, and then present to the full class.

Stakeholder Groups:

• • Fisheries Resource Managers

  • Concerned Citizen

  • Wild Fish Conservancy

  • Recreational Fisher

  • Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Member

  • Olympic National Park Representative

Part 3: Discussion/Debate

While still in character, students have an opportunity to dialogue with others in the class.

Part 4: Reflection

Respond to the following questions our loud and/or in your journal.  Students will then be called upon to share out answers.

• 1. What will happen to the livelihood of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe if hatchery fish are not used to repopulate the river?

  2. As a society, do we have a responsibility to make up for the past wrongs done to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe?  why or why not?  If so, how does that impact the decision about whether to use hatchery fish or not?

  3. Do the wild fish and the Elwha River ecosystem have the right to recover naturally, without the use of hatchery raised fish?

  4. How might we balance the short-term needs of the Tribe with the long-term health of the Elwha River?

  5. What information do you still need to make an informed decision?

Part 5: Fish Farm Extension

Recently, a fish farm failed in NW Washington, accidentally releasing Atlantic salmon into the waters near us.