Whitman County Gazette - Serving Whitman County since 1877

OLYMPIA — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking help marking more than 110 million hatchery salmon and steelhead before being released into state waters.

The mass-marking program has played a vital role in salmon management since the mid-1990s, officials said.

Hatchery fish are marked by clipping their adipose fin while still in the fry stage, before being released.

This marking helps differentiate hatchery fish from wild fish, officials said.

“This work is essential to fishing throughout the state, and critical to salmon conservation efforts,” agency Hatchery Divisio...