The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced it will permanently close the Mad River Fish Hatchery in Humboldt County this June, ending over five decades of fish production due to mounting operational costs, aging infrastructure, and strict federal limitations on steelhead rearing.
Originally opened in 1971, the state-owned hatchery—California’s smallest—has faced persistent financial challenges and now requires an estimated $40 million in repairs. In addition, officials estimate annual operating costs would need to rise by $1 million to meet evolving federal compliance standards, including the development of a steelhead genetic management plan.
The facility, which once raised Chinook and inland salmon, has focused in recent years on a limited number of rainbow trout and federally threatened Northern California steelhead. However, due to conservation regulations aimed at protecting wild steelhead genetics, the hatchery has been capped at producing just 150,000 fry annually—far less than the state’s other facilities, such as Trinity River Hatchery, which produces 4.6 million salmon and 450,000 steelhead each year.
CDFW officials also cited structural flaws in the hatchery’s design. Because fish were raised on well water rather than river water, many failed to return to the Mad River to spawn. Salmon production at the facility was discontinued years ago for this reason.
“The steelhead program is no longer viable,” said Jason Roberts, Inland Fisheries Program Manager for CDFW’s Northern Region. “The hatchery no longer provides meaningful conservation or recreational value.”
The hatchery’s remaining steelhead will be released this spring before operations officially cease in June. While fish production will end, the site will remain open to the public for recreation, including picnicking, birdwatching, and river access.
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