An Oregon man named Joshua Heckathorn has been charged with dumping bleach into a tank at a hatchery in Douglas County, resulting in the death of approximately 18,000 young Chinook salmon. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife labeled this incident as a “significant poaching incident” as the fish were part of a protected species and were being raised at a volunteer-run hatchery. The investigation began when law enforcement responded to a call about a chemical substance being poured into one of the rearing ponds, causing the deaths of the fish. Heckathorn was later arrested on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief, with additional poaching charges expected to be added.
The case involving the death of thousands of Chinook salmon is being jointly investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division due to the severity of the incident. Poaching charges will include Unlawful Taking Chinook Salmon for nearly 18,000 fish, which is considered a Class C felony. Heckathorn also faces charges related to Making a Toxic Substance Available to Wildlife and Criminal Mischief 1st Degree. The potential penalties for his actions could include a lifetime angling license suspension and significant fines for unlawful killing of wildlife, with the maximum civil penalty for killing a single Chinook salmon being $750. The incident has been described as a significant loss for the Gardiner Reedsport Winchester Bay Salmon Trout Enhancement Program, the volunteer-run hatchery affected by the poisoning.
The Gardiner Reedsport Winchester Bay STEP hatchery is operated by volunteers who raise and care for approximately 200,000 fish each year before releasing them into the Umpqua River estuary. The poisoned salmon were set to be released as part of a state program aimed at improving stream habitat and natural fish stocks. President of the STEP program, Deborah Yates, expressed disbelief at the incident, mentioning that volunteers had dedicated countless hours to caring for the fish. The volunteers had become attached to the fish, making it particularly devastating to witness the senseless act of poisoning that resulted in the loss of the fish. Yates highlighted the emotional impact of the incident, noting that nature can cause losses but when someone deliberately harms the fish, it is incomprehensible to those who had invested time and effort into their care.
The investigation into the poisoning of the Chinook salmon continues as authorities work to establish the full extent of the damage caused by Heckathorn’s actions. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with law enforcement agencies, are seeking to address both the physical damage to the hatchery property and the environmental impact of the mass killing of the fish. The potential fines and penalties associated with the incident reflect the seriousness of poaching and the unlawful destruction of wildlife in the region. The community and volunteers involved in the STEP program are left reeling from the loss and grappling with the implications of the incident for their conservation efforts and the rehabilitation of fish stocks in the area. Newsweek is committed to exploring connections and challenging conventional wisdom in the pursuit of common ground on issues related to wildlife conservation and environmental protection.
