Fish Hatchery Gets Grant Sturgeon will become a bit less mysterious with the construction of a sturgeon viewing and interpretive center at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, located at Bonneville Dam along the Columbia River, which is planned for completion in mid-August. The viewing and interpretive center will include a pond with an observation window which will allow visitors an underwater view of white sturgeon swimming and feeding. Observation points along the pond will also allow visitors to watch the sturgeon from above while interpretive displays will explain their natural history. The sturgeon viewing and interpretive center is a joint project of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Portland-based Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation, an organization that raises money for Oregon fish and wildlife conservation projects. About 200,000 people currently visit the Bonneville Fish Hatchery each year.
White sturgeon are native to Washington State and parts of Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia.
Growing up to 20 feet long, they are the largest freshwater fish in North America. Anglers commonly fish for them in the Columbia River and coastal estuaries. The Fish Restoration and Enhancement Program was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1989 and is funded by a surcharge on sport and commercial fishing licenses and commercial poundage fees. The program is overseen by a seven member citizen board that reviews proposals and recommends funding for fish restoration and enhancement projects throughout the state.