History of Silverado Fisheries Base

Silverado Fisheries Base (Silverado) commenced operations in 1957 to replace the recently closed East Side Rearing Reservoir facility in Napa. Initial operations focused on raising small numbers of fingerling size rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for distribution throughout the Bay Area. However, in the late 1970's Silverado expanded operations by including a quarantine facility for importing fish egg stock, and increased its fish distribution capabilities by becoming a transfer station for larger, catchable size rainbow trout.

To meet an increasing demand for recreational angling, Silverado has utilized several varieties of rainbow trout sourced from Hot Creek, Mt. Whitney, and Mt. Shasta hatcheries for fish distribution. Additionally, sub species of rainbow trout were also used for various programs and included Eagle Lake (O. mykiss aquilarum), and Kamloops trout (O. mykiss kamloops). Other species historically raised at Silverado Fisheries Base included Brook (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), Artic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), and Coho (O. kisutch), Chinook (O. tshawytscha) and Kokanee salmon (O. nerka).