The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery: a marvel of modern science and art.

• Author: Storm, Joette
• Position: CONSTRUCTION

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Ninety million dollars may seem like a lot of money to spend on raising fish. For Alaskans, who dream of and brag about their fish, the price tag for the new sport fish hatchery on Ship Creek in Anchorage is worth the money. After all, fishing contributes an estimated $1.4 billion to the State's economy and produces more than $500 million in income every year. Fish are important to the Alaska lifestyle.

The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, built through a collaborative effort of fourteen government and industry partners, is the largest indoor sport fish hatchery facility in North America, capable of rearing 6 million fish a year. The facility features an energy efficient system that recirculates warm water to save money while fostering fish growth. It incorporates natural lighting and mechanical lighting that mimics nature.

Part of the imposing three-acre facility is a visitor/education center that allows the public to observe hundreds of thousands of tiny fingerlings, or smolt, swimming in their individual species tanks. Five species of fish are reared in the hatchery: chinook and coho salmon, rainbow trout, Arctic char, and Arctic grayling. They are released in more than two hundred lakes, streams, and saltwater locations across Southcentral Alaska to feed the appetite of sport anglers, says Andrea Tesch, hatchery manager for Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).

The project was paid for by sport fish license fees, taxes on fishing equipment, and state grants, she says. The fishing public is welcome at the facility to view king salmon smolt and other fish in a mini hatchery of their own. The second-floor observation deck is equipped with digital screens interpreting the rearing and stocking processes. The displays vividly tell the story of the salmon's lifecycle and how the hatchery enhances the sustainability of this important natural resource.

1 Percent Well Spent

As with other State buildings, 1 percent of the budget was dedicated to art. A number of artists contributed to the decor in and around the hatchery. Michael Anderson's ceramic wall hangings are featured in the visitor corridor. Pat Shelton created a glass mosaic of fishing lures installed in the entrance. Cammie Walker fashioned the fish that hang in the east corridor. Ray Troll's whimsical characters transform the stocking trucks into a mobile mural, and Peter Busby's giant sculpture graces the exterior of the building.

Last July, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) selected the Hernandez hatchery as the first ever recipient of its Envision TM Gold award for sustainability. ISI, a nonprofit educational organization formed by industry organizations, created the tool to provide the public sector with guidelines for sustainability in civil works such as roads, bridges, pipelines, and public buildings.

Envision the Future

The self-evaluation process uses the broad categories of Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate & Risk to encompass best practices in the building field.

ISI Executive Director Bill Bertera says, "The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery provides a great fit for the first-ever ISI Envision project award. As the heart of Alaska's sport fish stocking program and the largest indoor sport hatchery in the nation, it is also the largest application of water recirculation technology for a hatchery. The sustainability of this project guided the vision and development of every aspect of...