The Bonneville Captive Brood facility was constructed in the mid-1990s near the Bonneville Hatchery and was fully funded by BPA.  BPA owns the facility and all associated fish rearing equipment and continues to funds the maintenance of the facility even when fish are not being reared.

The Bonneville Captive Brood facility has been identified as a “Rapid Response/Safety Net Facility" which can be used when an ESA listed stock has been identified as being at risk of going extinct.  The facility is used as a captive brood facility where fish are kept until mature and spawned within the facility.  Eggs produced at the facility are then be shipped to various hatcheries throughout the Columbia Basin for typical fish rearing and eventual release into the natural environment. Some of these fish may be sent back to this facility for the next cycle of captive brood fish rearing.

BPA must maintain this facility in proper working condition in the event that another ESA listed stock was crashing and a Safety Net program was needed.

The facility may be used for the rearing of non-ESA listed species or other programs with the permission from BPA.