In 1864, Seth Green established a commercial fish hatching operation at Caledonia Springs, near Rochester, New York, marking the first private fish hatchery in the United States. Green's work focused on the artificial propagation of trout and salmon, using techniques he had developed over several years. His success demonstrated the viability of fish culture as a business and inspired the creation of state and federal hatcheries. Green is often considered the 'father of American fish culture' for his pioneering efforts.

Seth Green's hatchery was celebrated in American sporting literature and poetry, with writers like Charles Hallock and Henry William Herbert praising his contributions to angling. The hatchery also appears in the works of American naturalist poets, who saw fish culture as a symbol of human intervention in nature. Green's achievements were noted in the periodical press and in the writings of the American Fish Culturists' Association.