Introduction to a Special Section: Hatcheries and Management of Aquatic Resources (HaMAR)—Considerations for Use of Hatcheries and Hatchery-Origin Fish

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) has routinely assessed the contributions of hatcheries to natural resource management and issued recommendations to guide natural resource managers in the best uses of hatchery‐origin fish. For the past several decades, AFS has explored these issues in a formalized process at approximately 10‐year intervals. In response to changes in fisheries management policy, new information on supplementation and rehabilitation, and fisheries issues that had arisen since the previous cycle, AFS undertook the latest cycle of this iterative process in 2012. Dubbed Hatcheries and Management of Aquatic Resources (HaMAR), the process brought together representatives from many fisheries disciplines to generate the present guidance document. Distilled from information gathered from a scoping survey, symposia, and other sources, this AFS‐approved document is intended to provide aquatic resource managers with timely and comprehensive guidance regarding hatcheries and their products. The American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the oldest, largest, and most influential professional organization devoted to fisheries conservation. In this capacity, AFS has routinely assessed the contributions of hatcheries to natural resource management and issued recommendations to guide natural resource managers in the best uses of hatchery‐origin fish. AFS has explored these issues in a formalized process at approximately 10‐year intervals. Representatives of the Fish Culture and Fisheries Management sections came together at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, in 1985 to address the question “Fish culture—fish management's ally?” in a symposium entitled “The Role of Fish Culture in Fisheries Management” (Stroud 1986). In 1994, AFS reexamined the issues of fisheries enhancement in the context of emerging ecosystem‐based approaches to resource management in a symposium and workshop entitled “Uses and Effects of Cultured Fishes in Aquatic Ecosystems” (Schramm and Piper 1995). A similar process was undertaken in 2003–2004 to again review the uses of hatchery‐origin fish and new scientific findings by means of a symposium, a Web‐based survey of fisheries professionals, and a facilitated workshop. These efforts were collectively referred to as “Propagated Fishes in Resource Management” (PFIRM). In 2012, AFS initiated the next cycle in this iterative process, dubbed “Hatcheries and Management of Aquatic Resources” (HaMAR). Each of the previous cycles yielded proceedings publications: Fish Culture in Fisheries Management (Stroud 1986), Uses and Effects of Cultured Fishes in Aquatic Ecosystems (Schramm and Piper 1995), and Propagated Fishes in Resource Management (Nickum et al. 2004), and most recently a guidance document, Considerations for the Use of Propagated Fishes in Resource Management (Mudrak and Carmichael 2005; see Supplement A in the online version of this paper, hereafter referred to as “PFIRM Considerations”). The PFIRM Considerations guide provided resource managers with general recommendations for decision making and successful implementation of fisheries supplementation, rehabilitation, and restoration programs. The present guidance document represents an update and expansion of the PFIRM Considerations publication. It is intended to provide aquatic resource managers with timely and comprehensive guidance regarding hatcheries and their products, including finfish, crustaceans, mollusks, reptiles, and other aquatic biota. In response to changes in fisheries management policy, new information on supplementation and rehabilitation, and fisheries issues that have arisen since the previous cycle, AFS President William Fisher established the HaMAR steering committee in 2012. The steering committee was charged with reengaging AFS in addressing issues related to hatchery operation and the role of hatchery‐origin fish in aquatic resource management. The steering committee represented the perspectives of interested AFS sections as well as state, provincial, and federal agencies, Native Americans and First Nations, and the Science Consortium for Replenishment of the Oceans. Collectively, this group worked to develop, organize, and implement the HaMAR process. Following completion of a scoping survey and a fact‐finding symposia (see below), the authors prepared the present guidance document. Demographics of the respondents to the HaMAR scoping survey conducted in 2012. The results are summarized by geographic region, employer type, major fisheries discipline, and affiliation with AFS sections. A total of 431 responses were received by the deadline. Fisheries professionals working in Mexican states were targeted during the survey process, but no responses were received. A scoping survey was conducted to help develop fact‐finding sessions to elucidate current and emerging issues related to the use of hatchery products in aquatic resource management. In consultation with their “constituencies,” the HaMAR steering committee members prepared a list of topics regarding hatchery operation and the use of hatchery‐origin fish. These topics formed the basis of a scoping survey that asked respondents to rank them with respect to their importance. The respondents were also asked to comment on the current relevance of the PFIRM Considerations guide and provide any additional insights that they had regarding the status of hatcheries and the use of hatchery‐origin fish. Requests to complete the survey were distributed by various means, including AFS and AFS unit listserv lists, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies listserv, and other mechanisms. Nearly 450 responses were received from employees of state, provincial, and federal agencies; academics; tribal–First Nation authorities; and representatives from the private sector, nonprofit groups, and nongovernmental organizations as well as a wide range of AFS unit affiliations (Figure 1). Responses were received from 48 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Respondents identified habitat restoration and management efforts as critical companions to fish stocking programs. The most important contemporary issues related to hatcheries and hatchery‐origin fish included monitoring and the adaptive management of stocking programs; the development of propagation techniques that result in genetically appropriate and healthy hatchery‐origin fish; fish health and access to disease management tools; and understanding the limitations of hatchery‐origin fish and stocking programs (Figure 2). These and the other highest‐ranking topical areas became the central foci of the planned fact‐finding symposia. Respondents indicated that the core considerations identified in the PFIRM process were still relevant but that the relative importance of had with to the of comprehensive management of and and (Figure The new and of the present guidance document was in to these in fisheries topics identified by the scoping topics were by the respondents on a from to The are the of the process in Considerations for the Use of Propagated Fish in Resource Management to the identified by the respondents to the scoping The are the of the respondents indicated that were the most important considerations in to a stocking on the topics identified by the scoping survey, were for the were on topics as hatchery in and emerging disease issues and these hatchery and the of restoration also in related sessions by in hatchery operation and the use of hatchery‐origin fish. A symposium was for the AFS in by the AFS Fish and Fisheries Management sections and with help from the Fish Fish Fisheries and the symposium topics related to of these disciplines and as tribal–First and gathered from the scoping survey, symposia, and other was by the authors the present guidance document. It is intended to provide timely information regarding hatcheries and their products to aquatic resource managers and decision It is intended to provide a of for resource management efforts that for the use of hatchery‐origin including the of and the of new and present a of the PFIRM Considerations and the wide range of considerations for the use of hatcheries and fish. These considerations topics as habitat restoration and the and limitations of hatcheries and fish; and monitoring and adaptive management. hatchery and the use of fish health and disease the of hatchery and and with a of to with the development of the present guidance document, of the symposium were and are in this of the The PFIRM process identified that stocking comprehensive management and and and other considerations (Mudrak and Carmichael 2005; Supplement The in PFIRM also several of were at the and resource the of and fisheries management of these issues are but are to review the PFIRM Considerations document for of the management these guide resource managers their with respect to stocking stocking and fisheries in an The comprehensive management process and to stocking and from various resource stocking is and The and et al. and to fish on that that the the fish and that stocking the identified management and scientific conducted to the that fish have on the and on and with the and of the various importance are the of and use of aquatic fish to an they and and as well as to the changes in fisheries and a for they the on and including and First and fisheries information to and fisheries monitoring programs. also the and to the and federal as and The PFIRM Considerations provide a of the issues that fisheries managers important at the for their comprehensive process and the use of fish. that the PFIRM Considerations are still a resource for managers in fisheries management that stocking fish. scientific has in the since of the PFIRM Considerations on the issues of hatcheries and hatchery fish. The HaMAR process was initiated to to the current information on the stocking of fish and to the related issues and have The HaMAR scoping survey respondents were asked to the current relevance of the major identified in the PFIRM they were asked to of the they to the most important in of contemporary stocking programs. the of comprehensive management of and and were as the For appropriate uses for hatchery‐origin for stocking and understanding the limitations of are to the of a comprehensive management as is of habitat and other management propagation that the and health of hatchery‐origin fish is to The importance of was in the context of and decision these is that the PFIRM Considerations but is on management and a for in the use of hatcheries and hatchery‐origin fish. 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