TU chapter stocking

[Grn Mt Man]

jmccall,


Was your TU chapter stocking through the TU "Trout in the Classroom" program or as a chapter stand alone activity? I'd certainly be asking TU National for an explanation of why you've been ordered to cease stocking. Sounds like someone complained about your activities. Last year we were ordered to cease our "Trout in the Classroom" stocking in a small stream in a National park area where we had been able to do it previously, with their permission. Rumor had it that it had to something to do with a total ban on stocking anything because of all the snakes released in the Florida area or something like that. Whatever the reason I'm sure that the "invasion" of 200 fingerling brook trout a year raised in a classroom would upset the environmental integrity of an otherwise devoid of fish stream up in the mountains.

[jmccall]

No it wasn't related to a 'Trout in the classroom' effort. This was something our chapter had been doing for over 20 years. I do believe this was do to someone complaining. Luckily there was another group able to take this project over

John

[NJTroutbum]

In a lot of cases...folks who push real hard to stop stocking on public water, have private water they are able to fish otherwise. They'll be far more self-righteous with somebody else's primary water.

[lastchance]

In a lot of cases...folks who push real hard to stop stocking on public water, have private water they are able to fish otherwise. They'll be far more self-righteous with somebody else's primary water.

You sure hit that nail on the head.

[bobbyg]

I would be interested in the water your Chapter has been stocking for so long?
Is it marginal trout water where there would be no fishing for trout without annual stockings?
If that is the case I can see no reason for TU's high-handed objection and directive!

[cycler68]

I have heard that, at least in some cases, when stocking was stopped trout fishing improved. Could this new policy be in response to that? Just to be clear (and prevent some flaming) I'm not against stocking when it does some good but if TU can save some money on trout stocking and put that money toward stream improvement, I'm all for that.

[redietz]

I have heard that, at least in some cases, when stocking was stopped trout fishing improved. Could this new policy be in response to that? Just to be clear (and prevent some flaming) I'm not against stocking when it does some good but if TU can save some money on trout stocking and put that money toward stream improvement, I'm all for that.

Yeah, it entirely depends on where you're talking about. Montana stopped stocking decades ago and fishing improved dramatically. In states with only marginal water, stocking is the only way to ensure that everyone has access to trout.

In our region, the state stocks, but TU volunteers help with the actual putting of fish in the water, so that the fish can be float stocked, not just dumped into one spot. Maybe the OP's chapter could do something like that.

I can see all sorts of reasons why TU national would ask a chapter to stop stocking. Maybe they didn't have the permits (which, by the way, Trout in the Classroom requires in my area.). Maybe they're ruining a population of wild fish. Maybe they're wasting their resources on something the state should be providing. I'd certainly ask why, but TU's core mission is conservation, not stocking fish.

[Bigdadyrods]

This is not surprising to me.
The TU I belong to started a program 3 years ago. We started this by selling buttons and saying " I help stock". The buttons went for $10. With your purchase, you got a list of where the stocking was taking place and when. We've had some ups and downs, mainly to inside politicking, as to who says what and where they go. You can't believe of all of the bosses you get when you come up with an idea. The worst is when you get guys that buy a button and tell his friends where they are stocking and we don't get any money from greedy people.That was one problem.
The other was we had an idea that TU might step in as they are really pushing the brook trout thing. That's fine, My state does water testing constantly to give a "rating" as to what waters can produce their own fish and have a natural reproduction. That's also fine. Our streams get rated-A,B,C and so on with A being the best. We stock our fish in C rated waters. Nothing that the Fish commission doesn't stock. But we also went a few more yards and this will be of interest. Do some research of national TU. They were behind and assisted in stocking Salmon in the great lakes area. Since when did the Chinook salmon run up the east coast? The information is in the archives located in your computer.

To make a long story short, the state TU nor national has yet to state "cease and desist". Try it. Then, that's when the stocking program goes from part of the local TU to a club of it's own. The local chapter will probably falter at that point. No more money coming in to feed you my dear friend--national TU. As for your local TU chapter, do this. Donate your money to the club that's stocking the same amount that you spent on putting those fish in. Bring it up at a meeting when the stocking takes place and go out and assist another club
.
You can still be a part of It. Take pictures and post It on your website in the TU. It's grass roots at it's best. We took areas that the state already stocked and we put more fish in and bigger fish. Nothing under 13" was something that we also did. Another piece of the pie was we spoke to the local Biologist for the states fish commission at a sportsmen's show and told him what we were doing. He thought that was great and approved of the stocking for those waters. Now we had science on our side. Pretty hard to argue from then on.

Randy