Welcome to Erwin National Fish Hatchery

Station Facts:

• Established: 1894
• Number of staff: six

Economic Effects Fact Sheet

Fish Species:

• Three 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 13 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