APPLE GROVE, W.Va. — West Virginia’s hatchery system is a vital part of the state’s fish management programs. Historically, the Division of Natural Resources had always separated the cold water hatcheries which are the heart of the state’s trout program and the warm water hatcheries which are used to enhance long term sustainability of various species of warmwater fish.
However, with a change in leadership in recent months, there has been a reevaluation of the hatcheries. Jim Hedrick in recent months was promoted to a newly created position of Director of Hatchery Programs. The title puts him in charge of all of those hatcheries in the DNR and is aimed at a more efficient use of those facilities in coordination with all fisheries programs.
“In the past, we’ve used parts of the trout hatcheries’ ponds which were not capable of supporting trout because of a lack of water and water temperature,” he said. “For example, we’ve used the Bowden Hatchery for the promulgation of walleye, just utilizing those ponds. There’s definitely some potential to have it go the other way during cold times of the year.”
The new system would enable the storage of trout during the cold months of December, January, and February in hatcheries in the west for stocking the western impoundments. The advantage would be a cost savings on fuel and man hours to make the long trips from the mountains for those western stockings early in the year.
“I think it will be best for the system because regardless of which species you’re raising, it’s done in a similar fashion,” said Hedrick of the new management alignment. “As a whole, that is more recognized now and they’re trying to streamline things and thought that would be the best approach rather than having an additional assistant chief and dividing warm water and cold water. I think that will work better for the cooperation within the agency as well.”
Regardless of which hatcheries handle what duties moving forward, the first order of business, according to Hedrick, is getting them all up to date.
“We have to do some repairs,” said Hedrick. “All of the hatcheries are up for repair and upgrade.”
Even the state’s newest hatchery, the facility at Apple Grove in Mason County, is in need of some repairs.
“The ponds at Apple Grove have liners in them and they’ve taken damage due to radiation from the sun,” said Hedrick. “Many of those liners have ripped. It’s not that the liners were faulty, that was pretty much the ten year life expectancy of those liners.”
The liners at Apple Grove are the most pressing need, but every hatchery in West Virginia has a laundry list of necessary repairs and upgrades. Some are simple and are being handled by staff within the agency like roof repairs, or adding shelter over various ponds. However, some of the upgrades, like the liners in the Apple Grove ponds, are more significant and will require outside contractors.
Hedrick has a two inch binder on his desk detailing all of the needs. He expected it will take several years to get through them all. The cost will be one factor which the agency will tackle, although Hedrick said the bigger issue will be to continue the hatchery operations as the work is done.
“The amount of time it takes will depend on how much of the hatchery the contractors will have to take off line in which time period,” he said. “Obviously we have to stagger this because we don’t want to lose production in the meantime.”
The first projects are in the process of being submitted for contract and should be underway sometime this summer.