The National Marine Fisheries Service says it has completed work on plans for 26 Columbia River hatcheries and is actively working on Endangered Species Act review of 32 more, including 16 on lower Columbia tributaries in Washington.

The numbers from the federal fishery agency were provided in response to a 60-day notice of intent to sue announced Jan. 13 by the Wild Fish Conservancy, which claims the government is funding Columbia River hatcheries prior to meeting mandated review of plans under the Endangered Species Act.

The conservancy is based in Duvall, Wash.

Rob Jones, regional chief of NMFS’ Hatchery Production and Inland Fisheries Branch, said his office is responsible for reviewing more than 300 Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans coastwide.

The agency has completed 50 of the reviews, including 11 for hatcheries that currently receive Mitchell Act funding.

The Mitchell Act was enacted in 1938 to mitigate for salmon and steelhead losses caused by the Columbia River hydroelectric dams.