Construction at Multiple U.S. Fish Hatcheries to Grow Saltwater, Freshwater Production

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Written by Eric Funderburk for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Industrial Info Resources is tracking nearly $860 million worth of current and planned construction projects at U.S. fish hatcheries.

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Projects Throughout U.S.

Current and planned construction at U.S. fish and shellfish hatcheries spans coast to coast and includes several stops at interior freshwater locales. Industrial Info Resources data find current and future construction projects at U.S. fish hatcheries add up to more than $859 million.

Current Construction

Most of the current construction at U.S. fish hatcheries involves renovating and/or expanding existing facilities. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) a few years ago called for an update to its hatcheries, which it described as "outdated and in desperate need of repair and upgrades, to make them more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and energy efficient." Those upgrades have commenced, and the largest project is expected to wrap up later this year at the state's New Hampton hatchery.

The facility has historically produced around 72,000 pounds per year of Atlantic salmon and trout, and NHFG is hoping to boost this to 150,000 pounds per year. Doing this has entailed constructing a new hatchery building and a 60,000-square-foot grow-out building. Readers can access details of the project, including construction timelines, key contact details, and equipment and service needs, by clicking here.

On the freshwater side of the business, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission is hoping to both reduce its reliance on fish imports from other states--specifically Arkansas, Nebraska and North Dakota--as well as reduce the chance of introducing invasive species into the state's waterways by an expansion project at its Dan Speas fish hatchery in the Casper area. General contractor Sletten Construction broke ground earlier this summer on 25,000-square-foot building addition that will more the double the size of the existing facility. The expanded facility will include the latest technologies in dark and light production rooms, isolation rooms and water conditioning systems. The Game and Fish Commission is targeting annual output of more than 1.2 million pounds of walleye and around 100,000 pounds per year of crappie with lesser but still substantial numbers for bluegill, largemouth bass and tiger muskie.

Shellfish hatcheries also are part of Industrial Info Resources Food & Beverage Industry coverage, and clams and oysters are the name of the game for the Town of Islip, New York, which is hoping to substantially expand production of the two species at its Town of Islip Shellfish Cultivation Facility. The project broke ground earlier this year and is expected to be wrapped up before the year is out, when production will begin ramping up from a current 20 million to 40 million juvenile clams and oysters a year to between 100 million and 200 million.

Future Construction

While growth projects at existing hatcheries dominate current construction, future construction leans very heavily on grassroot construction from the ground up or the entire tear-down and replacement of older facilities. One of those grassroot sites is under evaluation from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the proposed Deschutes Watershed Center Hatchery near Olympia. A site has been selected, where the agency has proposed a 7,200-square-foot main hatchery building, along with various juvenile raceways and a pollution abatement pond. The hatchery would offset the production from other constrained sites, targeting Chinook salmon and steelhead.

Industrial Info Resources is tracking four future full replacement projects planned for U.S. fish hatcheries, thanks largely due to plans from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at three state hatcheries scattered throughout the upstate region. According to Industrial Info Resources, two of these projects could break ground as soon as next year while another is not expected to begin for another couple of years.

Key Takeaways

• Nearly $860 million worth of construction is either underway or lined up at U.S. fish hatcheries.
• While expansions and renovations dominate current activity, the future is full of grassroot construction projects as well as the demolition and complete replacement of existing facilities.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).