Salmon returning to the site of their birth make their way up a specially-designed fish ladder. At the Gastineau Hatchery, visitors can watch this process through a window. Those that aren't ripe are returned to a saltwater estuary through a special chute. Those that are, however, are ready for the egg-taking process. After administering a blow to the fish's head, workers slice open the females and remove their eggs.
Visitors can watch through a skylight window from outside.
Although the process may seem cruel, remember that the Pacific salmon spawn once, then die, unlike their Atlantic counterparts. It's nature's way. After placing the eggs in a container, hatchery workers fertilize them with milt, which is released by squeezing the male's belly. The fertilized eggs are then rinsed and moved inside, where they're disinfected and placed in incubators. A steady water flow supplies oxygen and washes away wastes.