Research - Stock Enhancement
The SCDNR marine stocking research program takes a responsible multidisciplinary approach to stock enhancement. Through the process of the release, recapture, and identification of hatchery fish in the wild, we can target specific life stages, habitats, or estuaries for study. While traditional stock enhancement programs are concerned mainly with using cultured animals to augment already depleted natural stocks, the focus of our program is on using hatchery-produced animals to answer scientific questions about wild populations while developing the tools and understanding necessary to enhance native populations should they become threatened.