The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), Friends of the Mad River Hatchery and the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) are teaming up to provide free tours of the Mad River Hatchery. The tours will take place on Feb. 14 and 28. Tours run from 8:30 to 10 a.m., regardless of weather, with each tour lasting about 30 minutes.

The Mad River's steelhead fishery is renowned and many sport anglers flock to its banks every season. For nearly three decades, the hatchery has played a vital role in enhancing the Mad River's winter steelhead population.

Due to the budget crisis three years ago, operations were limited after 34 years of service. With the help of the Friends of the Mad River Hatchery, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, local businesses, community members andconcerned students, the facility was back to full use in 2005.

Last year the Hatchery's spawning of steelhead resulted in 144,400 fish at the hatchery that will be released this spring. This year about 175,300 eggs will be taken for fertilization. DFG's goal is to release more than 150,000 healthy steelhead yearlings into the Mad River watershed in the spring of 2008.

Tour attendees will be able to observe the entire process ??? from the selection of specific adults for spawning to the final disposition of fertilized eggs in the hatchery's egg incubation system.