State Legislators Tour Kensington Fish Hatchery

Connecticut’s anglers and wildlife enthusiasts can expect to see rivers full of salmon and trout for years to come, thanks to ongoing work at the Kensington Fish Hatchery. Several of Berlin’s lawmakers and municipal leaders stopped by the hatchery this week to see how millions of healthy fish are grown every year for distribution into state waterways. Despite initial concerns that funding for the Hatchery would be cut, forcing its closure, the Berlin delegation fought to secure its continued operation. Senator Terry Gerratana (D-New Britain), Representative Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin), and Berlin Mayor Adam Salina were shown how the biologists at Kensington Hatchery guide fish through life, from the egg to release in a river.

“Between the millions of fish it produces and the hundreds of students whose education it enhances, the Kensington Hatchery has had an enormous impact on the State of Connecticut,” Senator Gerratana said. “Without this amazing facility, Connecticut would not attract the large population of anglers who contribute millions to our local economy. I am proud that we were able to ensure the hatchery continues to be funded by the state so that it can remain open and carry out its enormously valuable mission."

"In a year of budget belt-tightening, it was a great achievement – and a result of a lot of hard work from the Berlin delegation – to protect the Kensington Fish Hatchery," Representative Aresimowicz said. "The hatchery has been an important part of our town since its creation in the 1800's. Today, the fishery produces over a million trout and salmon annually, at the same time provides essential research and education on the protection on these species."

The Kensington Hatchery produces two kinds of fish: the Atlantic salmon and the Seeforellen Brown trout. In fact, the Kensington Hatchery raises the only disease-free Seeforellen trout left in the United States. Over a million fish grow in the Kensington hatchery annually. This year, 768,000 Atlantic salmon from the hatchery were used to stock the Farmington and Salmon River watershed. Additionally, 20,000 Brown trout were used to stock the Shunock River and Whitford Brook.

Keeping Connecticut waterways well stocked with fish has a significant economic value to the state. According to numbers produced by Connecticut’s Commission on Culture and Tourism, 251,000 state residents take 5.4 million fishing trips in the state and spend $198 million each year. 51,000 anglers from out of state take 457,000 fishing trips in Connecticut, spending about $45 million annually. Maintaining Connecticut’s reputation for good fishing is vital to our state’s tourism industry.

The Kensington Hatchery provides a vital service to Connecticut’s students as well. Students from across the state are given the opportunity to see firsthand what it is like to grow a fish or stock our rivers with them. This year, 20,000 Atlantic salmon eggs will be sent from the Hatchery to 64 schools across the state. This program alone is expected to expose over 6,000 students to salmon and aquatic resource education. Additionally, this year’s stocking of the Farmington and Salmon River watersheds was completed with the help of 50 volunteers and students from four different schools.

(This information came from a press release.)