Aquaculture America 2026

February 16 - 19, 2026

Las Vegas, Nevada

Add To Calendar 18/02/2026 11:15:0018/02/2026 11:35:00America/Los_AngelesAquaculture America 2026TOOLS FOR SYSTEM-LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND DECISION MAKING IN THE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY SYSTEMBurgundyThe World Aquaculture Societyjohnc@was.orgfalseDD/MM/YYYYanrl65yqlzh3g1q0dme13067

TOOLS FOR SYSTEM-LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND DECISION MAKING IN THE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY SYSTEM

Taylor Lipscomb, Jennifer Gumm, Riley Andrade, Nathan Wilke

 



The National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service has supported recreational fishing, tribal subsistence fisheries, and the recovery and restoration of imperiled species for over 150 years. However, a necessary focus on local and regional outcomes, coupled with a decentralized operational and management structure results in a lack of a program-wide, data-based assessment of status, operations, and vulnerabilities. Such an assessment can be used to communicate our work to the public, find common ground with partners, systematically evaluate and address risks to the system, and strategically invest limited resources. We combined data from existing enterprise databases and information at the station level to build a common framework for the NFHS where resources such as infrastructure and staffing are connected to operations including fish production, stocking and public outreach. This integrated framework of information about the NFHS provides a high-level picture of the system. We highlight data visualization and analysis methods that can serve as the foundational evidence-building needed to inform meaningful evaluation and risk management decision tools for the program level in a landscape of changing priorities and available resources.