Could Federal Hatcheries Be In Peril

[Outside Bend]

It figures, a actual government program that MAKES money and they want to cut it. How ridiculous.

Privatizing makes alot of sense to me. The local trout docks, lodges, and guides could support the hatcheries very easily.

They could, but folks are making the argument they're not obligated to. The Corps put up the dams, the Corps created the problem, the Corps should be charged with finding and funding a solution.

Is it fair to hold the trout docks, lodges, and guides' feet to the fire for a problem the feds (specifically the Corps) created? Is it fair to have those folks pay for a program the Corps committed itself to?

To me, the argument could be made you're just passing the buck from the folks who made the lemons to the folks making lemonade.

[eric1978]

Privatizing the hatcheries would be a slippery slope to making fishing unaffordable to a lot of people. Lodge owners, guides, and others in the business aren't going to just foot the bill for it. They're gonna pass the cost on to us...and since this is the 21st Century, I guarantee they won't just be looking to sustain their industry, they'll be looking to make substantial profits directly from the hatcheries. I seriously doubt it would be a $3 a day charge like at the parks...hitting the Norfork Tailwater to catch privately raised trout would be tantamount to taking the family to Six Flags for the day and coming home broke. The hatcheries must remain publicly run if we want Ozarks trout fishing to stay affordable for people of all financial means.

Just sayin'.

[gotmuddy]

They could, but folks are making the argument they're not obligated to. The Corps put up the dams, the Corps created the problem, the Corps should be charged with finding and funding a solution.

Is it fair to hold the trout docks, lodges, and guides' feet to the fire for a problem the feds (specifically the Corps) created? Is it fair to have those folks pay for a program the Corps committed itself to?

To me, the argument could be made you're just passing the buck from the folks who made the lemons to the folks making lemonade.

I agree, the Corps should be obligated to stock the tailwaters.

Privatizing the hatcheries would be a slippery slope to making fishing unaffordable to a lot of people. Lodge owners, guides, and others in the business aren't going to just foot the bill for it. They're gonna pass the cost on to us...and since this is the 21st Century, I guarantee they won't just be looking to sustain their industry, they'll be looking to make substantial profits directly from the hatcheries. I seriously doubt it would be a $3 a day charge like at the parks...hitting the Norfork Tailwater to catch privately raised trout would be tantamount to taking the family to Six Flags for the day and coming home broke. The hatcheries must remain publicly run if we want Ozarks trout fishing to stay affordable for people of all financial means.

It would be incredibly difficult to privatize the hatcheries. How about letting the state take care of the hatcheries? That makes alot of sense to me.

On a side note, why wouldn't it be possible to draw water from the top of the lake and not destroy natural fish populations?

[eric1978]

It would be incredibly difficult to privatize the hatcheries. How about letting the state take care of the hatcheries? That makes alot of sense to me.

I would be fine with that, and I wouldn't mind paying the daily fee, either. It'd surely be better than seeing Walmart get into the trout business.

[gotmuddy]

I would be fine with that, and I wouldn't mind paying the daily fee, either. It'd surely be better than seeing Walmart get into the trout business.

I wouldn't either. In fact I like the thought of fishing license sales funding them.

[Outside Bend]

But we shouldn't have to look at state funding. AR Game and Fish, the MO Department of Conservation- they didn't put the dams up. They didn't alter the stream habitat. They didn't alter the habitat to the point where native fisheries can't exist. The state, the anglers, the business owners- they shouldn't be on the hook to meet the Corps' obligations.

If the COE wants to pay the states to raise the fish, that's fine by me. If the COE wants to pay private entities to raise the fish, that's fine too. But I think the feds owe it to the people of that area to live up to their end of the bargain.

[flytyer57]

The only thing I can see with privatization of the hatcheries is the money thing. Eventually, since this is a "capitalist society" the cost of raising the fish will become overwhelming as someone decides they need to become overnight millionaires raising these fish.

[gotmuddy]

The only thing I can see with privatization of the hatcheries is the money thing. Eventually, since this is a "capitalist society" the cost of raising the fish will become overwhelming as someone decides they need to become overnight millionaires raising these fish.

don't drag capitalism into this.

[flytyer57]

don't drag capitalism into this.

Goes with "privatization."

When a private entity makes money in this country, it is based on "capitalism."

[Tim Smith]

Goes with "privatization."

When a private entity makes money in this country, it is based on "capitalism."

...and when the government makes it possible to make money it's called "stimulus", or "pork", depending on whether or not you're the one making the money.

The government can't step away from private hatcheries altogether. They're too dangerous.

It's pretty hard to get rich raising fish. A capitalist would say that competition would keep the prices down. Look how much trout cost in the grocery store. Knock off the processing, retail and transport costs and that's a realistic estimate of how much a stocker should cost. Not quite a Six Flags trip, but probably more expensive than 3$ yes.