I can't speak for what goes on in Washington, but the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife has the authority to remove problem predators around
fish hatcheries. The species most often targeted are Great Blue Herons.

However, I recently had an uplifting chat with one of the managers of the
Big Creek Hatchery near Astoria. He said that current policy regarding
Belted Kingfishers was to let a pair set up a territory, the pair will
run off all other kingfishers and other small fish predators.

He also told me that they encourage dippers at the hatchery, because they
feed mostly on dead fingerlings caught in the drain grates.

These two changes alone speak volumes about the progressive changes in
management policy.

As to Great Blue Herons... I've seen them camp out at hatcheries and stuff
themselves...
I can sympathize with hatchery managers forced to get aggressive even though
I would lobby for more creative solutions.


>
>Found this on my Raptor listserv. today and I'm posting to Tweeters and
>Obol in hopes someone will say it isn't so!
> Judy Stone-RothFrom: "Sandy J.
>Lupo" <goshawk at i-link-2.net>
>Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 19:12:57 -0700
>Subject: RR: death
>
>I experenced one of thoes moments that make you stand back and just
>pause for a moment. I was checking out a job at a state hatchery
>here in washington when I noticed a large object in the water. I walked
>down and raised up a Common Loon. Everything was perfect about the
>bird; all bones in place, eyes good, wings and joints felt good and
>moved freely. Everything was fine except for the part of the birds head
>that took a shotgun blast. I layed the loon in the back of my truck
>and took it to the hatchery personnal. A person at the hatchery said
>the birds are shot by a dept. of Agriculture hazer to cut down on the
>amount of fish lost at the hatchery.
>Now don't get me wrong I love to hunt, fish and fly my bird. I'm not a
>tree hugger, but there is something that just rubbed me wrong about
>killing loons. Do the dept. of Agriculture folks also shoot Bald Eagles
>and Ospreys? While rehabbers are fixing their shooting. Sorry for the
>soap box.
>
>Yours in feathers
>
>Clarence
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of raptors.digest V1 #118
>*****************************
>
>***************************************************
>"Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul."
> -Edward Abbey
>***************************************************
>
>
>
>

--
*********************************** I got the blues so bad one time
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * it put my face in a permanent frown
* mpatters at orednet.org * but I am feelin' so much better
*http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters* I could cake-walk into town