William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery

Hatchery Background:

Construction of this William Jack Hernandez Sport seafood Hatchery had been finished in June of 2011. Based in Anchorage during the intersection of Reeve Blvd. and Post path, this completely enclosed, recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) based center makes use of the most effective available technology to save water and minimize warming demand when it comes to creation of Chinook and coho salmon, rainbow trout, and Arctic char.

Fish Manufacturing:

Each year with over 100 rearing tanks, there is space for production of more than 6 million sport fish. These fingerling (1″ to black crush app 2″), smolt (3″ to 5″) and catchable (7″ to 12″) seafood are released throughout Southern Central Alaska from Cordova to Kodiak, Homer, Kenai, Seward, Anchorage, Mat/Su and Talkeetna. Sport fishing activity supported through these fish releases makes up over $20 million a 12 months in financial effect on neighborhood communities.

To prevent stressing the seafood and hurting the employees, seafood are generally moved in one tank to a different. Mid might through very very early October, tanker trucks consist of seafood and hatchery workers take turns driving them to produce web web internet internet sites throughout the area. Some “stocking operates”, because they are called, usually takes significantly more than a day.

Available to the general public, you are invited to drop by from 8 am to 4 pm and take a stroll through the customer corridor. This area had been put aside for general general general public access to permit watching of hatchery task. When planning that is final capital are safe you will have informational and interpretive displays highlighting Division of Sport Fish tasks such as for instance analysis, Management and Hatchery manufacturing.

There is certainly a base course away from center permitting access to see Ship Creek. From early July through September adult salmon can frequently be present in this stretch regarding the creek. Coming back Chinook and coho are collected and held in 2 raceways positioned creek side. Hatchery staff will gather eggs from all of these seafood to start the next manufacturing period.

Chinook salmon eggs may also be gathered through the Ninilchik River, Crooked Creek and Willow Creek and coho that is additional eggs are gathered at Bear Lake near Seward. Rainbow trout and Arctic char eggs originate from mature grownups produced in the hatchery.

Who had been William Jack Hernandez?

William Jack “Bill” Hernandez served their nation valiantly during WWII, being a civilian contractor on Wake Island when you look at the Southern Pacific, building fortifications for USMC workers. Wake Island had been assaulted because of the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941, the exact same time due to the fact Pearl Harbor assault, and a violent 16 time challenge ensued involving the aquatic regiment and an enemy force that is overwhelming. On 23, 1941, Wake Island was captured and Mr. Hernandez was taken as a prisoner of war december. He had been a POW for 36 months before released surrender that is following of Japanese forces in 1945.

In 1947 Mr. Hernandez enlisted in america Army, plus in 1956 his product had been utilized in Fort Richardson where he became a Fish and Wildlife Conservation NCO. Their sales had been to rehabilitate the lakes and channels on post. Due to Mr. Hernandez’s efforts, in 1957 the Secretary associated with the Army authorized a cooperative contract between your Army, the Alaska Territorial Department of Fish and Game, additionally the Fort Richardson power plant, permitting the plant’s cooling pond to be utilized for rearing seafood. Mr. Hernandez ran the fish rearing project, and production that is annual 12,000 rainbow trout, 100,000 Chinook salmon smolt, and 200,000 Coho salmon smolt.

In 1968 Mr. Hernandez retired through the United States Army and received an Army Commendation Medal for their efforts. Right after your your retirement, Hernandez had been employed because of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a Fish Culturist in the Fire Lake Hatchery. In some years he came back to Fort Richardson to handle the scale that is large hatchery constructed at the cooling pond. He additionally worked in the nearby Elmendorf seafood hatchery. In 1983, after 26 many years of specialized solution increasing salmon and trout, Hernandez retired.

Unfortunately, Hernandez passed away of cancer tumors in 2003. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7665 honored him with a salute that is 21-gun. He had been the epitome of Tom Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation”. The fish rearing project at Fort Richardson would have never gotten off the ground without his drive and dedication. Their life’s work made a massive share to the activity and commercial fishing industry associated with the Cook Inlet area.