BELLINGHAM - Jason Wells, a retired salmon hatchery manager from Valdez, Alaska, will speak Thursday, Dec. 6, on the success of privately owned nonprofit salmon hatcheries in that state and their economic impact.

His talk at 7 p.m. in the courtroom inside the Federal Building, 104 W. Magnolia St., is sponsored by Whatcom Commercial Fishermen's Association.

In an email, association spokesman Doug Karlberg said Alaska's experience with nonprofit hatcheries could be relevant to discussion of a potential hatchery project on city-owned real estate at 600 W. Holly St., managed by the city's Public Development Authority.

The PDA has been involved in preliminary discussions of the project with officials from Western Washington University, Bellingham Technical College and Northwest Indian College.

Reach JOHN STARK at john.stark@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2274.