NGPC highlights hatchery upgrades, larger trout stocking and a volunteer sonar study

NGPC officials outlined recent hatchery improvements and production adjustments intended to deliver larger fish to anglers and to support education and research efforts.

Tony Baroda described a pond-lining project at the North Platte Fish Hatchery that aims to conserve water, retain nutrients and increase fish biomass; early comparisons between lined and unlined ponds show improved growth for walleye and saugeye. Baroda also summarized spring trout stocking figures: “we plan to stock over 57,000 trout in the month of March in 46 different water bodies,” and he said NGPC expects an additional 28,000-plus trout to be stocked in April.

Matthew Perion, assistant administrator for fish hatcheries, said hatchery growth and feed-conversion rates are well understood and that raising trout to larger sizes mainly requires feeding them more and holding them longer in culture; he noted temperature affects growth and that NGPC can, depending on conditions, "almost get them to 12 inches similar time as a 10 inches potentially depending on conditions." The agency said it raised trout to somewhat larger sizes this year based on previous research and angler survey feedback and encouraged anglers to complete the survey.

Baroda also described the youth fishing instructor program (run by aquatic education manager Larry Pape) and announced volunteer training dates and contact information. He introduced a planned NGPC study of live imaging sonar — an emerging and sometimes controversial angling technology — and invited volunteers to help collect data through Southeast District efforts led by biologist Jake Werner.

NGPC said it will post recordings of district meetings and will follow up by email to answer outstanding Q&A items from webinar attendees.