Beyond Fish: Exploring the Social Outcomes of Hatcheries in Atlantic Salmon Conservation

Abstract

Atlantic salmon are an important species of fish in Canada from ecological, sociocultural, and economic perspectives. Due to numerous issues including habitat degradation, ocean mortality, climate change, and invasive species, Atlantic salmon populations in many rivers have or are experiencing a precipitous drop in the number of returning adult spawners. Hatcheries and stocking programs have historically been viewed as a solution to dwindling salmon runs. A more recent body of literature points to the ecological and genetic dangers of these practices. However, many hatcheries are still operational in the Maritimes today. This begs the question, why? While some literature would attribute this to human delusion in believing any issue can be solved with human ingenuity, or an inability to let go of the act of stocking, this paper explores the range of implicit yet desirable conservation, social, and psychological outcomes (more broadly referred to as social outcomes) derived from Atlantic salmon hatcheries in the Maritimes other than the fish they release. Findings include hatcheries serving as repositories of rearing knowledge, catalysts for holistic river restoration, coping mechanisms for ecological anxiety, and bridges fostering human-salmon connections. While some hatchery practices may harm wild populations, these broader social outcomes must be documented and acknowledged to have more informed and transparent management approaches. The goal of this paper is not to give implicit permission to stock due to social outcomes, but to urge regulators to consider both the ecological and social sides of this socio-ecological system in management to maximize its effectiveness and acceptance.