South Dakota has a conservation priorities problem

By: Brad Johnson

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: June 6, 2026

Words: 903

Last Updated: 5 days, 9 hours ago

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Gov. Larry Rhoden stood in Watertown recently asking South Dakotans to help raise $3 million for upgrades to the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery.

The request itself is reasonable. Blue Dog is aging infrastructure, and fish production remains foundational to South Dakota’s outdoor economy. Hatcheries are among the few state programs that simultaneously support tourism, local recreation and rural communities.

But the fundraising campaign exposes a contradiction state leaders would prefer not to confront: …

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