Press Release • Ohio Auditor of State
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Performance Audit
Interim Report Part Two: Fish Hatchery Operations
Columbus – Taxpayers won’t find themselves on-the-hook for wasteful spending at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Fish Hatchery Operations, according to an interim performance audit report released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost.
“Not every division within a government entity needs fixed,” Auditor Yost said. “It’s good to know that fishermen are reeling in more than their money’s worth and our state’s aquatic habitats are populated with precision.”
A review of production costs at the state’s six fish hatcheries generated impressive numbers. Auditors identified that Fish Hatchery Operations produce and stock more than 30 million sport fish each year on a budget of $2 – $2.5 million. The hatcheries produce 12 different species of fish, grown at five sizes depending on four possible stocking strategies.
On average, when compared to market prices per fish, all but one species were produced at a lower rate. For instance, ODNR produced yellow perch for 93.3% less than market price per fish during the audit period.
The only species produced above market price was largemouth bass. Production costs were higher for largemouth bass due to an expensive stocking strategy that required a small number of large fish. During the audit, this strategy was identified as an opportunity for increased efficiency. Largemouth bass were eliminated from internal production and are now sourced from external suppliers, resulting in a net annual efficiency gain of $54,994.
More opportunities for increased efficiency could be identified by collecting species-specific data based on labor allocation and transportation cost, and by recording expenditures consistently from hatchery to hatchery.
Today’s interim report is the second section released from an agency-wide performance audit of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A full copy of this report may be accessed online.
The chart below compares the average production costs of each species at ODNR to market prices. Market prices could not be determined for all species.
Species: |
ODNR cost/ fish |
Market cost/fish |
Difference |
Difference (%) |
Steelhead |
$0.59 |
$3.49 |
($2.90) |
(83.1%) |
Rainbow Trout |
$4.27 |
$4.36 |
($0.09) |
(2.1%) |
Brown Trout |
$3.51 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Muskellunge |
$19.29 |
$45.00 |
($25.71) |
(57.1%) |
Walleye |
$0.03 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Saugeye |
$0.03 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Yellow Perch |
$0.06 |
$0.89 |
($0.83) |
(93.3%) |
Largemouth Bass |
$16.25 |
$1.53 |
$14.72 |
962.1% |
Hybrid Striped Bass |
$0.06 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Bluegill |
$0.66 |
$0.70 |
($0.04) |
(5.7%) |
Blue Catfish |
$5.83 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Channel Catfish |
$1.81 |
$2.80 |
($0.99) |
(35.4%) |
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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,800 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.