Trout in the Community

 

Angler’s Covey is the host site of “Trout in the Community” – a joint venture between the Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited (CMCTU), the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Parks (CWP), the Catamount Institute (CI), and Angler’s Covey (AC). Trout in the Community is the first program of its kind nationally in Trout Unlimited — and Angler’s Covey is proud to be the pilot site!

 

Modeled after Trout Unlimited’s very successful “Trout in the Classroom” national program, Trout in the Community (TITC) is a program in which students and the community at large learn the importance of water quality, cold water conservation, and the local watershed by raising trout from eggs to fingerlings and then releasing the trout at an approved location within that watershed.

 

In addition, the TITC program will include aspects of aquatic biology and ecology, watershed management and stewardship, disease awareness, aquarium maintenance, water quality, fish growth and behavior, health and regulatory concerns and other related topics.

 

Each of the four partners has its own responsibilities for the success of Trout in the Community.  In a nutshell:

• CMCTU will provide the oversight of the project and financial resources to cover the necessary materials (eggs, aquaria, etc.), ensure the health of the fish, and work with CWPto agree on a time for the release of the fish and make sure that appropriate stocking practices are followed. 
• CWP will ensure that TITC is implemented with adherence to the Division’s regulations and procedures.  The Division will provide the eggs and all testing to make sure that the fingerlings are healthy at the time of release. 
• CI will have the primary education component of the TITC program.  They will provide for testing of the aquaria and conduct observations of the water and environment of the fish population.
• AC will provide the physical location for the program.  Angler’s Covey will provide access during normal business hours to the TITC program partners and the general public to meet the program objectives of fostering knowledge of the trout’s life cycle and raise awareness of water quality and conservation issues. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the hatch is on!  A couple of weeks ago, Angler’s received the first eggs – and we have hatching trout!  Pictured here are the young alevin trout, still feeding off their egg sac in the hatching basket suspended in our tank in the entrance to the shop.  Come on by and check them out.  You know how kids are … they grow up so quickly!

 

Please watch this blog over the next weeks for announcements and updates on Trout in the Community.