— from Rollie Sauer, Volunteer, Glenwood Springs Hatchery —

Dear Friends and Fellow Residents of Orcas Island,

Glennwood Springs HatcheryThere are many magnificent facets to this paradise called Orcas Island, most of which are natural. However, there is one that was created here to assist nature. On a former fruit orchard overlooking the East Sound, Glenwood Springs Salmon Hatchery is the site of something remarkable…the creation of an annual Chinook salmon run where none existed before. Begun in a stream in 1978 with eggs from a state fish hatchery, the run has been facilitating the return of adult fish since 1982; and because no wild Chinook originate in the San Juan Islands, this new salmon run serves commercial and sport fishers while posing no threat to endangered fish.

The Glenwood Springs Hatchery is one-of-its-kind…privately owned and operated by the non-profit, Long Live The Kings (LLTK) under the direction of the WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife. The F&W was once a major funding source for the hatchery. However, with their funding reduced, the hatchery, which runs on an annual budget of $150,000, realizes an annual deficit for this project ranging from $20,000-$40,000.

LLTK has one paid employee at the hatchery, has deferred major maintenance (pond re-excavating, etc) and has decreased administrative support for several years. It has also cobbled together various funding sources through direct small grants for facility needs (Orcas Island Community Foundation), research (Cutthroat via SeaDoc Society), and production (Kokanee production via Friends of Moran State Park). However, they will still end up about $20,000 short this year.

The salmon are about to start their annual return to the hatchery and we desperately need your help to sustain the hatchery and support important community activities, including:

Hosting hundreds of guests for tours of the hatchery:

  • Orcas Island and Friday Harbor Schools
  • Skagit Valley College Elderhostel Program
  • Orcas Island Fly-Fishing club
  • Researchers

Providing salmon in the classroom for:

  • Orcas Island and Friday Harbor Schools
  • Camp Orkila and Camp Moran

Providing 80 salmon to the Orcas Island Food Bank and OISD cafeteria for the past 4 years

Providing salmon for local sport fishermen

Providing feed for the local pods of Orcas

I’m making this plea for the Glenwood Springs Hatchery because I’ve been volunteering at the Hatchery for almost 10 years and I can’t begin to tell you what a wonderful experience it’s been. The hatchery needs your financial contribution to sustain itself. Please help.

Send Checks payable to “LLTK – Glenwood Springs Hatchery” to:

Glenwood Springs Hatchery
P.O. Box 644
Eastsound, WA 98245

If you’d like to know more about LLTK and the Glenwood Springs Hatchery, please click here to download additional information.

You are also invited to come down to the fish ladder and holding pond and experience for yourself the return of the great jumping Chinook.

 

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