FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) – Sport fishing groups are pushing back against a Valdez hatchery’s plan to boost pink salmon production this year.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports private nonprofit hatcheries release hundreds of millions of juvenile pink salmon into Prince William Sound each year.

Many fishermen worry that the hatchery fish will kill natural salmon stocks by competing with them for food.

This year fishermen are even more concerned since the Solomon Gulch Hatchery in Valdez was given authorization to increase the number of eggs collected for raising salmon to 270 million, up from 250 million last year.

The move could result in about 19 million additional juvenile salmon in 2019.

The sport fishing groups are asking the fish board to hold a special meeting within 30 days to discuss the issue.

Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com

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