During the past six months, students at 23 area schools have been raising brook trout in their classrooms as an essential teaching element of the “Trout in the Classroom” program (TIC) sponsored by the Roanoke Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
In early 2009, members of the Roanoke Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited conducted a capital fund drive which produced over $25,000 in contributions from area businesses and individuals. These contributions provided the capital equipment to support 23 TIC sites. “Trout in the Classroom” is a program designed to educate students about the importance of their natural water resources and ultimately, teach them to become stewards of very fragile cold water resources.
In October, 2009, the 23 school sites each received approximately 250 brook trout eggs for their “Trout in the Classroom” aquariums from Paint Bank State Hatchery. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries strongly supports the TIC program and regards it as an essential method to instill in students an appreciation of nature and our cold water resources.
Brian Beers, the manager of Paint Bank Hatchery noted that “… DGIF is proud to be an integral part and cooperator in the Trout in the Classroom Program. Not only do the fish started in the classrooms contribute to the aquatic resources of the Commonwealth, but also the grass-roots environmental awareness in youth generated by this program is a unique approach taken in our public education system.”
The eyed brook trout eggs (eggs over 2 weeks old) were placed in the classroom aquariums where the water temperature must be maintained below 70 degrees. The eyed eggs began to hatch in November, 2009 and the small alevin (eggs with developing body segments) started to develop, but not without natural complications. Fungus attacks, and various other natural diseases, attacked the young fry and many of the alevin died. Each class of students was given the responsibility to monitor the water quality (acidity level, temperature and ammonia levels) so that the young fry have the ideal environment to grow to the fingerling size.
Six months later, all 23 classes have released over 2,500 brook trout fingerlings into the wild. The day was planned by Chapter 308 of Trout Unlimited and included presentations from the Forestry Service, fly fishing, and water quality testing.
This is the second year of the TIC program which grew from three schools in 2008-09 to 23 twenty schools in 2009-10.
This year the program added another important objective: “The Restoration of the Eastern Brook Trout into local waters.” In recent years, many of the local cold water streams have been unable to support cold water fish such as the Eastern Brook Trout because of increased pollution, increased water temperatures and recent droughts. Students from Glenvar High School, in particular, released the brook trout that they raised into Cove Branch, a stream that has maintained its quality cold water. It is hoped that this release will restore the natural brook trout fishery which is native to the State of Virginia.
By Karl Miller [email protected]