White River
Plan Your Visit
The White River National Fish Hatchery (NFH) is in business after being closed for five years due to extensive storm damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011. Much of the hatchery's infrastructure, fish pools, and raceways were underwater and buried in a foot of mud and silt after the storm. Now that the repairs have been completed and water is once again flowing through the indoor tanks, incubators, and outdoor raceways, the hatchery is raising landlocked Atlantic salmon and lake trout to support restoration efforts in Lake Champlain and in the Great Lakes.
Featured Species
Services
Since 1871, the White River NFH has produced and stocked millions of juvenile Atlantic Salmon and Lake Trout for restoration projects throughout the Northeast. As the aquatic habitat changes from natural or human influences, the natural production of fish declines. Aquaculture is one of the many management strategies used by biologists to help replenish the populations for years to come.
About
The White River National Fish Hatchery was established in 1984 in Bethel, VT, to support the restoration of Atlantic salmon and lake trout. After 2012, the hatchery shifted its focus to restoring native populations in Lake Champlain, as well as lakes Erie and Ontario, working alongside state and provincial partners. Currently, the facility cultures salmon eggs and lake trout broodstock to help restore healthy fisheries through collaborative efforts that include habitat restoration and monitoring. These science-based conservation activities help manage and replenish aquatic resources for current and future generations.