Individual Accused of Killing Protected Salmon at Hatchery – Potential $13 Million Fine for 18,000 Dead Fish

An Oregon man is facing numerous criminal charges and a potentially hefty fine after he allegedly killed thousands of young salmon at a state hatchery rearing pond two weeks ago with a bottle of bleach.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said 20-year-old Joshua Alexander Heckathorn burglarized a hatchery near the towns of Reedsport and Gardiner on the central Oregon coast on April 22.

The sheriff’s office said Heckathorn broke into the nonprofit Gardiner Reedsport Winchester Bay Salmon Trout Enhancement Program hatchery again on April 23 and was at that time arrested by a deputy.

Police say the suspect admitted to his arresting officer that he handled the bottle of bleach that was used to kill almost 18,000 young Chinook salmon a day earlier. No motive was given.

The fish were being raised for release into nearby Winchester Bay and are a staple of the Umpqua River.

Heckathorn was arrested and released but faces several misdemeanor charges and one felony charge.

He could also face a fine as high as $13 million.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Heckathorn will be charged with felony poaching of 17,890 Chinook salmon.

The maximum fine in Oregon for poaching even one of the fish is $750, so Heckathorn could owe the state millions of dollars if the maximum penalty is applied to each dead pre-smolt.

It was unknown Thursday if the defendant had an attorney.

Heckathorn is also charged with first-degree criminal mischief, exposing chemicals to wildlife and property damage surpassing $1,000.

He could additionally face a lifetime fishing ban throughout Oregon.

“Solving this case is the result of collaboration and good policework,” Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said in a statement. “I am proud of the work done by the deputies and have full confidence that the investigation will aid in holding those responsible accountable for their actions.”

The affected hatchery says its volunteers work tirelessly each year to ensure the area’s salmon population thrives.

But the deaths of so many of the pre-smolt fish will be a big loss for the region and beyond in the coming years.

Oregon Public Broadcasting spoke to STEP President Deborah Yates, who explained that roughly one-quarter of the hatchery’s pre-smolt Chinook were killed by a single bottle of chemicals.

Many of those would have made their way up to either Alaska or British Columbia and eventually back to where they were released as adults.

Instead, they died leaving volunteers who cared for them for countess hours “devastated.”

Yates also said she was surprised a man was accused of killing the pre-smolt with no apparent motive.

“Ironically, it was Earth Day,” she said. “We were highly concerned that it was eco-terrorists.”

The hatchery has released an average of 200,000 Chinook salmon into Winchester Bay every year since 1992.