Formatting off here too--Peter



National Fish Hatchery Operations (-$6,288,000/-65 FTE)
Funding for National Fish Hatchery Operations will be reduced by $6,288,000 in 2012. For several decades the Service has been working to recover costs from responsible agencies to mitigate the adverse effects of federal water development projects while focusing on native fish recovery and restoration. If full reimbursement is not obtained from responsible agencies in 2012 Fisheries Program activities could be eliminated or substantially reduced at nine facilities until reimbursement is negotiated. These stations include Neosho NFH (MO), Greers Ferry NFH and Norfork NFH (AR), Chattahoochee NFH (GA), Wolf Creek NFH (KY), Dale Hollow NFH and Erwin NFH (TN), Garrison Dam NFH (ND), and Jones Hole NFH (UT). Mitigation activities (e.g., broodstock services and aquatic animal health services) would also be eliminated at nine other Service facilities. In 2009, these facilities produced a total of 12,786,600 fish and 15,924,000 eyed eggs, which directly supported 3,500 jobs and nearly $325 million in total economic benefit to local and state economies from Service operated mitigation facilities. Additionally, should the Service fail to gain reimbursement, as many as 65 FTEs could be impacted.

Full reimbursement by the responsible federal water agency would allow for the continued operations of facilities where the Fisheries Program has invested over $5 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding and $3.4M deferred maintenance and construction funding in FY 2008, FY 2009 and FY 2010.

In Fiscal Year 2011, the Fisheries Program will continue on-going discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), and initiate discussions with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Central Utah Project Completion Act, and the Bonneville Power Administration to pursue $6,288,000 in reimbursement for the mitigation activities related to federal water development projects provided by National Fish Hatchery System facilities and staff. These reimbursements are essential to offset the funding reduction and are critical for facility operations. Full reimbursement would allow for the continued production of fish for mitigation and recreational fishing, as well as assisting in the recovery and restoration of imperiled aquatic species by developing propagation and culture techniques and production of threatened, endangered and at-risk species.

In its 2010 Appropriation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) was provided with $4.5 million to reimburse the Fisheries Program for its fishery mitigation activities and those funds were transferred. In its FY 2011 request, the Corps reduced that amount to $3.8 million for this activity, which is 80% of the 2010 Appropriation and the full reimbursement level. Fisheries Program and Corps personnel continue working to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to solidify the relationship between the two agencies, for the benefit of the local communities whose economies are linked to Service mitigation actions. A provision in the Corps budget will clarify authorities for these transfers.

An example of the activities at a mitigation hatchery includes:

[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Peter/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image003.jpg[/IMG]Neosho National Fish Hatchery (NFH) in Missouri is the nation’s oldest operational federal fish hatchery. Established in 1888, the facility and its history are tightly woven into the social and cultural fabric of the Neosho community and southeast Missouri. More than 130 species of cold, cool, and warm water fish have been produced over the years for the purposes of [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Peter/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image005.jpg[/IMG]conservation. The facility focuses on paddlefish and lake sturgeon restoration, endangered pallid sturgeon recovery, production of rainbow trout for mitigation of federal water projects, native mussel propagation, and serves as refugia for native Ozark cave fish. With the lack of reimbursable mitigation funding to keep it operational, this iconic center for conservation faces potential closure. Closure would affect more than just the aquatic species produced and sheltered here. Neosho NFH hosts 45,000 visitors per year with the number expected to rise to 100,000 visitors per year with the completion in 2010 of a new visitor’s center -- complete with an auditorium and classrooms for purposes of educating local and regional students and the next generation of natural resource conservation professionals. The Friends Group is among the most active in all of the Service, and in conjunction with the dedicated staff, provides a multitude of tours and information to the public. The hatchery provides total economic benefits of more than $10 million annually and an estimated 110 jobs from its mitigation stocking program.