Fish Springs Fish Hatchery

The Fish Springs Fish Hatchery is one of three active state hatcheries in the Owens Valley area. It produces about 1.6 million catchable-size trout a year. Although trout are not indigenous to the lakes of the Sierras, they are a major attraction, providing local towns with a great deal of fishing-related tourism in the summer. Statewide, sport fishing is a $3 billion a year industry, fueling some 75,000 jobs. Nationwide, sport fishing is so big that if it were a corporation, it would be the thirteenth biggest in the US. The existence of game fish in the Owens River Valley is maintained by the state hatcheries, which are funded by fees from fishing licenses.