History
The Quatse Hatchery has been dedicated to salmon enhancement since 1983. The facility was officially opened by the then Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, John Crosbie.
The hatchery is owned and operated by the Northern Vancouver Island Salmonid Enhancement Association, a non-profit society with a registered charitable tax number. The facility produces coho, pink and chum salmon and steelhead, and provides support to a number of other small hatcheries and habitat restoration groups and initiatives in the region.
From its inception in 1983 until early in 2009, hatchery operations were carried out from an aging Atco trailer unit. NVISEA Directors made the decision to ugrade the hatchery facilities and expand operations to educational, research and tourist services. The Board developed a business plan and raised over one million dollars to take down the old Atco trailer and replace it with an interpretive gallery, classroom, wet and dry labs, administrative offices, and to upgrade the water distribution infrastructure and add new circular tanks to increase production capacity.
Thanks To Our Supporters!
Funding for the upgrades and new facilities came from a variety of sources, including the federal and provincial governments, Pacific Salmon Foundation, BHP-Billiton, Rotary Club of Port Hardy, Island Coastal Economic Trust, West Coast Community Adjustment Program and Mount Waddington Community Futures, Vancouver Foundation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Norkan Construction. Additional funds came from B.C. Hydro, B.C. Transmission Commission, Irene Patterson, CGA, TwoFourOne Consulting, and Jim and Bea Robson of Vancouver.
The majority of the operating funds for the Quatse are provided through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' Community Economic Development Program, but additional operating funds have been come from the provincial Ministry of Environment and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C., to support steelhead enhancement and habitat restoration initiatives.
Other funders have included the Pacific Salmon Foundation, Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, British Columbia Conservation Foundation, Greater Georgia Basin Steelhead Recovery Program, B.C. Hydro, BHP-Billiton, Ministry of Transportation, Kwakiutl First Nation, Port Hardy Fish and Wildlife Club, Quatsino First Nation, Western Forest Products and numerous community organizations and local businesses.
Our thanks to all of our supporters for making our operations a continued success. We look forward to your continued support.