Modernizing Fish Hatchery Management (aka the ‘Piper Manual’ or ‘Black Book’), the how-to manual for practicing fish culturists

Fish culture is a critical contributor to integrated fisheries management. Fish hatcheries continue to support a wide range of conservation objectives,  from creating and maintaining fishing opportunities to recovering imperiled species. Fish Hatchery Management (1st edition -Piper et al. 1982, FHM), also known as the ‘Piper Manual,’ ‘Black Book,’ or simply the fish culturist’s bible, is an invaluable resource that provides practical, ‘how-to’ guidance related to fish culture and hatchery operation.  FHM captured what was known about the art and science of fish culture and distilled it into actionable information for the practicing fish culturist using look-up tables, real-world examples, and an approachable style. Thousands of fisheries professionals learned what they know about fish culture from FHM, including graduates of the USFWS’s Coldwater Fish Culture Course.  Much has changed in fish culture, and FHM is now somewhat out-of-date, but well-worn originals and bootleg copies still comprise the fundamentals of fish culture for public and tribal hatcheries and commercial fish farms.  The time has come to modernize FHM for new generations of fish culturists.