Welcome to the Erwin National Fish Hatchery

Station Facts:

Established: 1894.

Number of staff: six permanent.

 

Fish Species:

Reared four strains of rainbow trout.

 

Public Use Opportunities:

More than 40,000 visitors annually.

Hatchery tours.

Visitor center.

Off-site presentations.

Picnic pavilion.

Unicoi Co. Heritage Museum.

Wildlife viewing area.

 

Station Goals:

Produce 10 million disease-free eggs annually for Federal, state, and tribal hatcheries to support their fishery management efforts. This hatchery also provides eggs to research centers and universities.

Assists tribal governments in managing fisheries resources on tribal lands.

Supports projects to enhance federal fish and wildlife trust species and their habitats in the Southern Appalachian Ecosystem, in which this hatchery is located.

Provides environmental education whenever possible.

Develop and maintain partnerships with chambers of commerce, state tourist organizations, congressional staffs, and other non-governmental organizations in order to promote regional support for the fish hatchery.

Maintain a good working relationship with the Unicoi Co. Heritage Museum which is located on the grounds of the fish hatchery.