Warming water changes schedule at Klawock River coho hatchery

Water is warming up at the Klawock River Hatchery on Prince of Wales Island, a Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association facility that fertilizes and incubates 5 million coho eggs each year using Klawock River water.

Hatchery manager Troy Liske said water flowing by the hatchery in 2023 was warmer by an average of 3.6 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit than in years past. Warmer water temperatures are speeding up the salmon development process and changing the dynamics of hatchery work, which could pose future challenges, Liske said.

SSRAA has operated the Klawock River facility since 2016. T...