The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Elochoman Salmon hatchery could again produce fish under a plan discussed Tuesday by local and state officials.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) closed the hatchery in 2009 as part of a plan to eliminate hatchery reared salmon from tributaries of the lower Columbia River.

However, it might be possible to create a chum salmon spawning and rearing station at the Elochoman Hatchery, said WDFW Regional Fish Program Manager Pat Frazier and Fish Biologist Bryce Glaser.

The program would incorporate work by students in biology and Vocational Agriculture Program classes at Wahkiakum High School (WHS).

Frazier and Commissioner Dan Cothren came up with the idea last month when Cothren suggested using the hatchery to produce fish in a program involving students.

Frazier said that was a good idea, and he brought in Glazer, who is in charged of the regions's wild fish recovery efforts.

Glaser said the department is looking for ways to boost chum stocks. Chum spawn only in the Grays River and in spots along the Columbia between Vancouver and Bonneville Dam.

It would be logical to use Grays River stock to restock the Elochoman and Skamokawa, basins, he said, and the Elochoman Hatchery would be a good location for a spawning channel, because the department owns the land and that solves ownership issues.

WHS Vo-Ag Instructor Kyle Hurley said his students are looking for an outdoor education program and would love to combine fish rearing and habitat restoration activities.

Frazier and Glaser said they would pursue the idea to find a concrete proposal.

Commissioner Dan Cothren said he felt a program on the Elochoman would be well received by the people. A successful program could become a model to show residents of other areas that the WDFW and local residents can work together for habitat and fish restoration, he said.

Glaser said department staff want to identify and prioritize salmon habitat restoration projects and try to get them in funding cycles every other year.

"I'd like to do something down her this fall," Frazier said.

The group planned to meet in two months to continue working on the concept.