FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2025
Contact:
Scott Artis, Golden State Salmon Association, 925-550-9208, scott@goldenstatesalmon.org
GSSA Calls on the Bureau of Reclamation to fully fund hatchery salmon
Santa Rosa, CA — The federal Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) reportedly plans to slash funding for the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, a cornerstone of California’s salmon production strategy in the Sacramento Valley. Such a cut would violate the Bureau’s legal obligation to sustain salmon runs and comes at the worst possible time, threatening thousands of fishing jobs across the state.
In recent years, Nimbus Hatchery has released approximately 4.5 million juvenile Chinook salmon annually, fish that comprise a vital share of the salmon caught in California’s rivers and ocean, sustaining the state’s salmon industry. A state official told a public water agency meeting that the Bureau plans to slash Nimbus funding and cut production in half, even while acknowledging its official goal is to produce 4 million Chinook each year.
The Nimbus Hatchery was established decades ago as a direct result of the Federal Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA), a federal law enacted in 1946 that required federal agencies to mitigate impacts to commercially valuable species, such as salmon, that are harmed by federal projects, including dam construction. In the case of the Nimbus Hatchery, it was created to offset the loss of more than 100 miles of salmon habitat destroyed by the construction of Folsom and Nimbus dams on the American River near Sacramento. Today, it is operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife under contract with the Federal Bureau of Reclamation.
“The loss of millions of juveniles from Nimbus would be devastating for the state’s struggling salmon industry, as well as the communities that depend on salmon”, said Scott Artis, Executive Director of the Golden State Salmon Association. “It’s crazy that DOGE is apparently making this illegal and reckless cut that threatens fishing jobs. We work on salmon issues every day – but we’ve not met anyone from DOGE trying to understand our issues. Decades ago, the American River produced 200,000 adult salmon. Today, as a direct result of the Folsom Dam, it produces a tiny fraction of that. If any change is needed, Nimbus production should be increased, not cut.”
For many commercial fishermen, the Nimbus Hatchery was part of a solemn promise the Bureau made to the fishing industry. Since the Folsom Dam cut off 100 miles of prime salmon habitat, the Bureau had a legal obligation to produce enough juvenile salmon every year to mitigate their impact on salmon runs. Commercial salmon fishing in California has been closed for three years running, and President Trump has called on federal agencies to increase domestic fish production.
“Until our natural salmon runs recover, hatcheries are the life support system that can keep salmon fishing alive. Simply put, salmon jobs can’t survive if the Bureau cuts this key life support mechanism,” added Artis.
In addition to Nimbus, the federal government also funds the Coleman Hatchery in the upper Sacramento River watershed, which was constructed to mitigate salmon losses resulting from the construction of Shasta Dam. Now, similar funding cuts are reportedly being considered for Coleman, mirroring the reductions already announced for Nimbus.
“My understanding is that once you pay for the infrastructure and staff to run a salmon hatchery, the difference in cost between producing two million and four million fish is not great. We’re talking about pennies per fish. DOGE cutting salmon hatchery funds is akin to cutting FDA food inspectors. It’s a thoughtless, reckless action that harms large parts of society, in this case, salmon communities and families in California,” said John McManus, GSSA board member.
Reckless cuts would undermine decades of progress and break faith with California’s fishing families, tribes, and communities that depend on salmon. The Golden State Salmon Association calls on the Bureau of Reclamation to fully fund hatchery operations at Nimbus and Coleman. California cannot afford to lose more salmon or more jobs.
The Golden State Salmon Association (www.goldenstatesalmon.org) is a coalition of salmon advocates that includes commercial and recreational salmon fishermen and women, businesses, restaurants, native tribes, environmentalists, elected officials, families, and communities that rely on salmon. GSSA’s mission is to restore California salmon for their economic, recreational, commercial, environmental, cultural, and health values.