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Wyoming Approves $21 Million Expansion of Dan Speas Fish Hatchery Near Casper
Why It Matters
Wyoming anglers who fish for walleye, crappie, bass, and other warm-water species could face dramatically reduced fish populations if the state loses access to out-of-state hatcheries. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission approved nearly $21 million to expand the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery outside Casper, a move officials say will give Wyoming long-term, self-sufficient control over its fish stocking program.
What Happened
The commission recently approved the expansion of the Dan Speas facility, which has historically produced only trout species. Once construction is complete, the hatchery will be capable of raising cool- and warm-water sportfish including walleye, crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, and tiger muskie.
Currently, Wyoming depends on the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery in Riverdale, North Dakota, for all of its walleye. Guy Campbell, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s fish culture supervisor, noted that if that hatchery stopped supplying walleye — whether due to disease, population crashes, or a policy change — the state would have no backup source.
Timing issues with imported fish have also created practical problems. Black crappie shipments, for instance, arrive from Arkansas and Nebraska in October, but Wyoming’s climate makes spring or early summer the ideal stocking window. Raising fish locally would allow hatchery managers to stock them at optimal times while also reducing the distance fish spend on transport trucks, which improves survival rates.
Casper fisheries supervisor Matt Hahn noted another benefit: locally raised fish lower the risk of aquatic invasive species or fish diseases arriving with out-of-state shipments, even though imported fish are inspected before delivery.
By the Numbers
- $21 million — Amount approved by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission for the hatchery expansion
- $30,000 — Donation made by North Platte Walleyes Unlimited roughly five years ago to fund an experimental walleye-breeding program
- 10 — Number of state fish hatcheries currently operating in Wyoming
- 1883 — Year Wyoming’s first Fish Commission was established, recognizing the need for stocked fish in depleted waterways
- Nearly 150 years — Span of Wyoming’s statewide fish stocking history
Voices On the Ground
Brian Woodward, vice president of North Platte Walleyes Unlimited, supports the diversification approach. “Diversification is stability,” he said, adding that most anglers care about catching fish more than which species they target.
Not everyone shares that enthusiasm. Luke Todd, owner of the Sports Lure in Buffalo, said he hopes Game and Fish doesn’t lose sight of Wyoming’s trout fisheries in the push toward warm-water species. “I just hope we don’t become a Midwestern warm-water fishery state,” he said.
Campbell struck a measured tone about hatcheries overall. “Hatcheries are a tool in the toolbox,” he said. “Just stocking as many fish as possible isn’t the answer.”
Zoom Out
The expansion reflects a broader challenge facing fish and wildlife agencies across the Mountain West: warming water temperatures are gradually squeezing cold-water species like trout out of lower-elevation streams and reservoirs, forcing managers to plan for a more diverse fishing landscape. Wyoming’s dependence on out-of-state hatcheries for warm-water species has grown more precarious as interstate fish-trading arrangements have dwindled.
Officials also see potential to raise native species like channel catfish, which disappeared from the North Platte drainage nearly a century ago. Native populations still exist in the Powder River drainage, and hatchery managers believe locally bred Powder River catfish may reproduce more successfully than the Arkansas-origin fish currently stocked in the region. Wyoming’s commitment to predator and wildlife management has drawn similar scrutiny in recent years — the state has also invested millions in predator control programs as demand and costs have continued to climb.
What’s Next
The Dan Speas facility will proceed through the construction and expansion process following commission approval. No specific completion timeline was provided in the commission’s announcement. Hatchery officials plan to begin developing capacity for walleye and other warm-water species once the expanded infrastructure is operational, with the longer-term goal of reducing Wyoming’s dependence on fish sourced from hatcheries in other states.
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