April 14, 2011
Fish hatchery funding in jeopardy
By Robyn Rohde, BHG News Service
The Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery’s annual operating budget is $667,492, but that funding is being threatened by proposed budget cuts in President Barrack Obama’s 2012 budget. Rob Holm, manager of the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, said early budget numbers could mean the Garrison Dam hatchery will lose more than $140,000 in funding a year and the hatchery in Valley City could lose around $10,000 a year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes cutting its funding to hatcheries and passing the cost on to the agencies that constructed dams. Holm said final word on any cuts likely wouldn’t come until the end of April so things are in limbo until then.
