Rock Creek Hatchery was destroyed by the 2020 Archie Creek Fire.  The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife is considering options for reconstruction that could change or even eliminate Rock Creek role in producing fish for the Umpqua River Basin.

There are many reasons to support a full reconstruction of Rock Creek Hatchery, including:

• Rock Creek Hatchery annual fish releases of nearly one million salmon, steelhead, and trout are stocked into many local Umpqua basin rivers and lakes;
• Maintaining current Rock Creek Hatchery fish production is approved in ODFW’s coastal multi-species management plan, hatchery management plans, and Douglas County’s mitigation agreement;
• ODFW recently adopted a management plan after critical scientific review and public stakeholders’ comments to maintain current number of coastal hatcheries, including Rock Creek Hatchery, for the next several years;
• Rock Creek Hatchery fish production has provided tens of thousands of catchable and harvestable salmon, steelhead, and trout with a high benefit/cost ratio every year for the past century;
• Rock Creek Hatchery enhances overall fishing opportunities for local, regional, and statewide recreational and commercial anglers;
• Rock Creek Hatchery program at current in-basin site and local fishing opportunities are successfully balanced with wild fish conservation goals in the Umpqua Basin;
• Rock Creek and the lower North Umpqua River are the homewaters of recent juvenile fish releases and unneeded pausing of the rebuild efforts will cause further harm and impacts to returning numbers of adult salmon and steelhead that are needed more than ever in the next few years;
• Transferring current in-basin fish collection, spawning, rearing, and releases to out-of-Umpqua Basin facilities will significantly increase risk to our highly-valued wild fish populations, especially North Umpqua spring chinook, South Umpqua spring chinook and North Umpqua summer steelhead;
• Unwarranted delays called for by anti-hatchery groups during these challenging times are not in the best interest to rebuilding the facilities, to reforming a science-based fish production operation, to restoring the hatchery connection to the watershed, and to restarting the educational programs for landowners, public, teachers, and students;  
• The “Rock-Ed” classroom will provide place-based education using the local community and environment to teach concepts in science and other subjects across the curriculum;
• Extensive science-based post-fire monitoring and review of effects and risks to fish, water quality, and forest health will allow flexibility and creativity at the hatchery to ensure fulfillment and success in the foreseeable future;
• Rock Creek Hatchery benefits include a proven conservation operation, a popular tourist attraction, and an education center that are connected ecologically, economically, and socially.