MHCC FISHERIES PROGRAM

PROGRAM NAVIGATES POLICY SHIFTS, HABITAT RESTORATION

The Mt. Hood Community College Fisheries Technology program is doing more than just teaching students about biology; it is serving as a front-line training ground for wildlife restoration across the Columbia River Basin.

As federal policies regarding fish protections fluctuate under different presidential administrations, the program at MHCC has provided a vital link between classroom education and urgent environmental needs of the Pacific Northwest.

UNIQUE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The heart of the program lies in its on-campus hatchery. Unlike many industrial sites, the MHCC facility operates on a “Recirculation Aquaculture” system.

Marla Chaney, a fisheries professor focusing on biology and husbandry, said the system is unique because it recycles well water. The hatchery uses only 15 gallons per minute of well water but maintains a flow of 120 gallons per minute through constant recycling.

“It’s better for the fish and saves time,” Chaney said, noting that the system prevents the program from drawing water from—or discharging waste into—nearby Beaver Creek.

Students are involved in every stage of the life cycle. In the first week of the academic year, they begin with fish eggs. By late May, they release 8-inch Rainbow Trout into the Mt. Hood pond on the opposite side of campus. These fish are sterile, ensuring they provide recreational fishing opportunities without interfering with the genetics of wild populations.

MAINTENANCE AND WORKFORCE READINESS

The program emphasizes “all-around” skills. Beyond biology, students take maintenance classes where they learn to repair small engines, install electrical boxes, and hang drywall.

“Whether you work at a hatchery or in the field, there are a lot of things to fix and improve,” Chaney said.

Students are also required to earn a boater education card by the spring term. Todd Hanna, a Fisheries Technology instructor, teaches students how to operate the program’s fleet of five boats to ensure they are job-ready upon graduation.

POLICY BATTLE FOR THE COLUMBIA

While students work on campus, a larger legal battle is unfolding in the courts. Recent shifts in federal policy have seen protections for fish rolled back, sparking lawsuits from local tribes and environmental groups in Oregon and Washington.

Hanna explained that the Columbia River Basin is a massive, multi-state entity involving federal, state, tribal, and private stakeholders.

“Because we’re in the Columbia River Basin, there’s a lot going on,” Hanna said. “The federal government has to put a plan together to operate dams so they don’t further harm salmon and steelhead... but these plans are frequently challenged in court because tribes don’t feel they are adequate.”

Hanna noted that while the Biden administration reached a 10-year agreement to pause litigation and fund fish recovery, the subsequent Trump administration’s efforts to repel certain protections have pushed the issue back into the legal system. Currently, a district judge in Portland has issued a temporary injunction, forcing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage the river in a more “fish-friendly” way until the cases are settled.

LOCAL IMPACT AND "TRADE-OFF"

These broad policies have a direct impact on how MHCC students train. Because many local fish are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the program is limited in where it can collect fish for research.

Hanna describes a “weird trade-off” regarding the dam located on the MHCC campus.

“The dam on campus prevents any fish from going upstream,” Hanna said. “I can do some things with a permit that I would not be able to do if that dam wasn’t there.”

While the dam provides a controlled environment for student training, it remains a barrier to natural fish passage. Hanna noted that while they have surveyed Kelly Creek since 2011 and have yet to see a salmon, there is a local push to remove the dam and improve the habitat so fish can return.

As the program continues to adapt to changing legal and environmental landscapes, its mission remains clear: preparing the next generation of technicians to manage the delicate balance between human infrastructure and the survival of the Northwest’s most iconic species.