hatchR: A toolset to predict when fish hatch and emerge

Abstract

Understanding the timing of key life history events is essential for effective fish conservation and management. Traditionally, predicting hatch and emergence timing in wild fish populations was challenging due to the reliance on average incubation temperature as a primary model parameter, which is often difficult to obtain in natural settings. Recent advancements have refined these models, enabling their application in wild environments using spawning dates and daily water temperature records. However, their broader use remains constrained by a lack of parameterizations for many species, with most applications focused on salmonids. Here, we introduce hatchR, a software ecosystem designed to predict hatch and emergence timing for a wide range of wild fishes, requiring only spawning date and water temperature data. hatchR offers users access to established phenological models and the flexibility to incorporate custom parameterizations using external data sets. The software is available in two formats: an open- source R package for advanced customization and an HTML- based graphical user interface for those unfamiliar with scripting. To illustrate its utility, we present two case studies demonstrating its application in research and management. By expanding access to predictive modeling tools, hatchR has the potential to advance studies of fish early life history and support conservation and management efforts across diverse species.

Citation

Sparks, Morgan M.; Maitland, Bryan M.; Felts, Eli A.; Swartz, Allison G.; Frater, Paul N. 2025. hatchR: A toolset to predict when fish hatch and emerge. Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1093/fshmag/vuaf078.