DIPAC's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery

DIPAC's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery A private, non-profit organization dedicated to salmon fisheries enhancement and education. At Macaulay Salmon Hatchery, summer is when salmon abound!

During the months of May and June, visitors have the opportunity to see juvenile salmon prior to their release. Adult salmon start returning up our fish ladder the beginning of July and continue through early October. Bald Eagles and seals frequent the hatchery and our outside decks provide a fantastic wildlife viewing opportunity. Inside our Visitor Center, guests can explore our saltwater aquari

ums displaying a diverse collection of local marine life. Presentations are offered May-September where visitors can learn about the fascinating life cycle of Pacific salmon and the inner workings of our hatchery from one of our local guides. These tours are a fun, affordable, and educational experience for the whole family! October - March our aquariums are available to the public by appointment only. Salmon product can be ordered by phone or email and shipped anywhere in the United States. The Visitor Center is available for rent November through March and makes a great event space for the holiday season. Fall and Spring we offer educational programs. To learn more, please call 907-463-4810.

Planning a visit in September? Here are our September hours for the Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center. 🐟😊Our summer hours wil...
08/19/2026

Planning a visit in September? Here are our September hours for the Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center. 🐟😊

Our summer hours will be in operation until September 1st. Hope to see you soon!

07/14/2026

FAQ: When is the best time to visit to see adult salmon returning?

Now (mid-July) through mid August is the perfect time to visit to see returning salmon here at the hatchery. There are thousands of salmon returning up our salmon ladder. Come check it out!

An update on the salmon ladder: The ladder is back up & running! Thanks for your understanding, everyone. 🐟
07/06/2026

An update on the salmon ladder:

The ladder is back up & running! Thanks for your understanding, everyone. 🐟

It’s a big day at Macaulay Salmon Hatchery! The salmon ladder is officially ON for the 2026 season and our rearing facil...
06/18/2026

It’s a big day at Macaulay Salmon Hatchery!

The salmon ladder is officially ON for the 2026 season and our rearing facility in the Visitor Center has reopened with over 800,000 baby Coho salmon waiting to say hello! 👋 🐟

The Visitor Center is open 10am-6pm M-F and 10am-5pm Saturday/Sunday. Hope to see you soon!

Happy Summer! 🐟🦐🦀The Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center is now observing its regular summer schedule. With the exception of cl...
06/02/2026

Happy Summer! 🐟🦐🦀

The Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center is now observing its regular summer schedule. With the exception of closing early (3PM) on June 27th, regular hours are posted here!

September hours will be posted towards the end of the summer for those planning their visits for later this year.

This is the final DIPAC 50th anniversary post celebrating our current decade & future ahead!🥳🐟🥳🐟🥳🐟DIPAC continues its mi...
06/02/2026

This is the final DIPAC 50th anniversary post celebrating our current decade & future ahead!🥳🐟🥳🐟🥳🐟

DIPAC continues its mission today to sustain and enhance valuable salmon resources of the State of Alaska for the economic, social, and cultural benefit of all citizens, and to promote public understanding of Alaska's salmon resources and salmon fisheries through research, education, and tourism. DIPAC has not added any new release sites or programs this decade, and is working to continue achieving its goals while adapting to changes in natural environmental conditions.

This decade DIPAC began mass marking Chinook salmon with a 100% adipose fin clip to bring awareness to the Juneau community of the significance of the local fishery enhancement program. Be on the lookout for more adipose fin clipped Chinook at the end of your line this summer. We hope you enjoyed celebrating this journey with us and hope you take the opportunity to get out and fish in the greater Juneau area this year! Check out more on our marking and tagging rates here: https://www.dipac.net/research-evaluation

Since 1976, DIPAC has had approximately 50 million adult salmon return to the Juneau area for the common property fishermen. Check out our 50 year economic report for more info on all of DIPAC’s programs:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5671b3100e4c11f307a593a2/t/69e9267099ffba0c33cb7d76/1776887408614/1.+DIPAC-50th+Anniversary+Brochure.pdf

DIPAC’s 50th Anniversary celebration continues with a step back into the 2010’s!🐟🥳🐟 The salmon market changed for chum s...
05/04/2026

DIPAC’s 50th Anniversary celebration continues with a step back into the 2010’s!🐟🥳🐟

The salmon market changed for chum salmon and DIPAC was able to pay off its debt to the State of Alaska from loans across the first 40 years of the program. In this decade, the DIPAC Board designated funds and began distributions of the Ladd Macaulay Memorial Scholarship for Baccalaureate and Vocational Education Programs. The Board also set up an endowment fund through University of Alaska – College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences for a Master’s Level Research Program; The Ladd Macaulay Memorial Fellowship. The coho and Chinook annex building was built at the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery which increased smolt production by 1 million. Sheep Creek Hatchery was demolished and is now the site of a community garden. DIPAC added its final Chinook release site in 2013 at Lena Cove. The Southeast Alaska common property seine fleet was allowed into Amalga Harbor Special Harvest Area for the first time. The DIPAC board designated funds to raise two totems poles to thank the Tlingit people of this area for allowing us to share their watershed. DIPAC was adopted and given the Tlingit name X̲áat Hídi, “Salmon House,” at the raising ceremony.

DIPAC’s 50th Anniversary celebration continues with a step back into the first decade of the 2000’s! In the early 2000’s...
04/02/2026

DIPAC’s 50th Anniversary celebration continues with a step back into the first decade of the 2000’s! In the early 2000’s DIPAC tragically lost its founder, Ladd Macaulay, and the Gastineau Salmon Hatchery and Visitor Center changed their name to honor him. DIPAC discontinued raising pink salmon in 2002 (last return of pinks in 2003) and continued raising the 4 other species of salmon at 3 facilities. Sheep Creek Hatchery was used only as a satellite smolt rearing facility for Chinook & coho as incubation programs were shifted to Gastineau Salmon Hatchery in the prior decade. DIPAC continued to welcome more visitors and students through the Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center. The hatcheries continued with current release sites, but switched brood sources from Montana Creek stock coho to Fish Creek (Taku River) stock coho salmon. The wet lab at the new UAF campus at Lena Point took on the needs of the lab at the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery, and that space was converted to other uses. The State of Alaska built an upgraded sport dock with better parking next to the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery to offer ADA accessible fishing from shore. This dock is now owned and operated by the City & Borough of Juneau.

Address

2697 Channel Drive
Juneau, AK
99801

Telephone

+19074634810

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when DIPAC's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to DIPAC's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category