In this small structure, the Mattaponi harvest both eggs and sperm from fish they catch in the spawning season. These are mixed and stored in tanks of water taken directly from the Mattaponi River itself. As the fertilized eggs hatch and the fry mature, they are able to escape the hatching tank and find their way into a direct pipeline into the river. Each year the Mattaponi people return millions of shad fingerlings into the river, putting back more than they take away.

The Mattaponi Heritage Foundation is seeking donations to expand the capacity of the hatchery and build bigger tanks so that the fish can be held a few days longer to better insure their survival in the river.

Shad have always been a staple in the Mattaponi diet and at the center of their culture. The tradtions continue as the Mattaponi people work in harmony with the land and the river.