Hatchery moving young fish so it can fix pipe

OLYMPIA — More than a million juvenile coho salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout are on the move. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Department says state hatchery workers are temporarily evacuating the young fish from the Naselle Hatchery in southwest Washington so they can repair a ruptured pipe.

Fish and Wildlife regional fish manager Ron Warren said hatchery workers reported a serious water leak Sunday that could cause further damage to the 38-year-old facility in Pacific County. They can’t fix the pipe without shutting off the water, and can’t do that without moving the fish.

Since Wednesday, tanker trucks have been transferring all 1.4 million juvenile coho, 50,000 steelhead smolts and 20,000 rainbow trout to the Nemah Hatchery, 20 miles to the north. All are due for release next spring. Warren says he hopes to bring the fish back to Naselle after the pipe is fixed.