Pillar Creek Hatchery

Pillar Creek Hatchery (PCH) was constructed in 1990 as a cooperative project between ADF&G and KRAA. PCH is owned by the State of Alaska and is located on Kodiak Island Borough land that is leased to the State of Alaska. KRAA operates the facility under an agreement with the State.

PCH was designed as a central incubation facility where salmon eggs needed for production are collected from brood sources located at sites remote from PCH and transported to the facility for incubation, hatching, and rearing of resulting juvenile fish. Most juvenile fish are then transported to and released at sites remote from PCH and for stocking anadromous lakes to rehabilitate weak sockeye salmon stocks.

PCH primarily produces juvenile sockeye salmon for stocking barren-lake systems to enhance adult salmon production. These stocking projects increase sockeye salmon harvest opportunities in the Kodiak Management Area (KMA) for common property fisheries – available to all Kodiak commercial, subsistence, personal use, and recreational fishermen. Secondarily, PCH produces coho salmon smolt for road-system stocking.

Through a cooperative agreement with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Sport Fish Division, PCH produces king salmon and rainbow trout for road-system releases. These releases create easy-access sport fishing opportunities for the public and professional fishing guides alike.

Species Produced at PCH:

Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) permitted for 20 million eggs

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) permitted for 500,000 eggs

Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)  permitted for 450,000 eggs

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)  permitted for 200,000 eggs

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