The Hatchery, Aquarium and Wetlab are open 7 days a week this summer. The admission is free, but donations are always welcome!
The Sheldon Jackson “SJ” Hatchery
The SJ Hatchery is located on the grounds of Sheldon Jackson College, the oldest educational institution in the State of Alaska. 
Situated in the basement of the Sage Building, at 834 Lincoln Street, Sitka, Alaska, the hatchery had been an integral part of the former Environmental Science Program of SJC. This unique geographical site, located close to the estuary of Indian River, the Sitka National Historical Park, and within easy walking distance of downtown, has become an important part of what makes Sitka special!
The hatchery program began in 1975, when Sheldon Jackson College received Private-Non-Profit Permit # 3 from the State of Alaska, Department of Fish and Game. The primary purpose of the program has been to train students in fisheries and hatchery science. The secondary purpose has been to enhance salmon stocks, and contribute to the common property fishery of Sitka Sound, and Southeast Alaska. To this end, the program has been a success.
PNP Permit #3 allows the SJ Hatchery to take eggs, and produce smolts, from 4 species of Pacific salmon: Chinook (commonly called “kings”), Coho (also known as “silvers”), Chum (sometimes referred to as “dog” salmon), and Pinks (commonly called “humpies”). The permit allows 100,000 chinook eggs, 150,000 coho eggs, 10 million chum eggs, and 1 million pink eggs.
In the summer of 2007, and with the cessation of academic programs at SJC, the future of the educational and production program at the hatchery became extremely uncertain. Hatchery Manager Dan Goodness became a volunteer in December, 2007, following his employment termination from the College. Many other caring and dedicated individuals from Sitka have also volunteered to help in the effort to “save the hatchery”.
The heart of the hatchery program never skipped a beat. Operational monies to temporarily sustain the program became available in February, 2008, and the hatchery lives on! But the long-term future remains uncertain.
Please visit our photo gallery to see hatchery students from the past, as well as caring volunteers, who carry the hatchery program forward. For more information about the program, contact Dan Goodness by email here. Thank you for visiting our site!
In the photo to the right, Americorps volunteers Jessie Higgins and Mandi Cox wrestle with the first returning king salmon of the season at the SJ Hatchery! The fish was carried to a circular pond where it can be viewed by visitors to the hatchery.
Donations to the SJ Hatchery
A donation account has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank, in Sitka, Alaska, called the “Friends of the Hatchery” account. Caring individuals, hoping to see the hatchery program succeed, have donated thousands of dollars. You can make a donation to this worthy cause by sending a check, made out to Friends of the Hatchery, to:
Friends of the Hatchery Account
Wells Fargo Bank
300 Lincoln Street
Sitka, Alaska 99835
Each summer, from May through September, thousands of visitors to Sitka, primarily cruise ship passengers, visit the SJ Hatchery. During May, many of these tourists participate in the annual Releasing of the Smolts. There is no admittance fee, but donations are always welcome!!
Photo Gallery - Slideshows
Our Visitors (11 images)
Smolt Releases (10 images)
Students (61 images)
Volunteers (22 images)
Views from the hatchery (7 images)
Cost Recovery (4 images)
Movies
Chinook Fry in Circular Pond (2.2mb)
Chinook Fry in Start Tank (1.5mb)
Adult Salmon Return Home (35.7mb)
Radio
News story from the local radio station, KCAW.
Science Center finds life after Sheldon Jackson College
by Andi McDanielSITKA, ALASKA (2008-07-14) Despite the closure of Sheldon Jackson College a year ago, the campus is no ghost town. That’s partly because of places like the Sitka Sound Science Center, which used to be part of the college. Now, it’s an institution in its own right. Andi McDaniel spent some time there recently and came back with this report.
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