Wyoming Boosts Local Fish Production With New Facility Plans

Wyoming is done relying on out-of-state fish.

At its March 18–19 meeting, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission approved a nearly $21 million expansion of the Dan Speas Warm and Cool Water Facility in the Casper Region. The goal is simple: produce more fish in Wyoming and depend less on hatcheries in places like Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and Oklahoma.

Right now, the state imports about 1.5 million fish each year across roughly 11 species, including walleye, crappie, bluegill and tiger muskie. Every shipment is inspected, but bringing fish across state lines always carries some risk.

That risk is aquatic invasive species, and it is growing.

Game and Fish Fisheries Division Chief Alan Osterland said more states are dealing with invasive species, which increases the chances of something slipping through.

“Every year we keep AIS out of our waterways, we’re further ahead as science and technology improve,” he said. “The longer we prevent it, the better prepared we’ll be if it does happen.”

Building out the Casper facility gives Wyoming more control. The expansion includes specialized production rooms, isolation areas and upgraded water conditioning systems designed to keep operations contained and secure.

It also means more fish for Wyoming waters.

Once complete, the hatchery is expected to produce more than 1.4 million fish annually, including about 1.28 million walleye, along with crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and tiger muskie. That kind of output supports stocking efforts across the state and helps maintain Wyoming’s reputation as a strong fishing destination.

Commission President Rusty Bell said the project is as much about opportunity as it is about prevention.

“This is bigger than just AIS,” Bell said. “It’s about stocking what we want in our fisheries and getting kids and families out to fish.”

Sletten Construction of Wyoming submitted the lowest bid at $20.9 million, in line with the engineer’s estimate, and will take on the project.

Construction is expected to begin in September 2026 and wrap up by October 2027. The first walleye production is slated for April 2028.

For state officials, the takeaway is straightforward. The more Wyoming can produce on its own, the less it has to gamble on what comes in from somewhere else.