New Manager Takes Charge at Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery
A new permanent Hatchery Manager has arrived at Jones Holes National Fish Hatchery near Vernal, Utah, to fill a critical post at the facility, which produces about 2 million trout a year for stocking in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The 33-year-old hatchery had been supervised by former Assistant Manager, John Seals, since the retirement of long-time manager Lloyd Strobeck. Seals has moved on to a new post as Hatchery Manager at Leadville National Fish Hatchery in Leadville, Colorado, his home state.
Hatchery Manager Richard "Kip" Bottomley, a California native, arrived this month to begin the challenging task of managing fish production at Jones Hole. Located on 390 acres in a sandstone geologic setting, the hatchery produces rainbows, browns, and brook trout for stocking in tribal waters and to compensate for the loss of fish caused by Colorado River dams and reservoirs. Jones Hole began operation as a National Fish Hatchery in 1968, producing its first trout in 1970.
With an annual budget of $370,000 in Fiscal Year 2000, the hatchery reared almost 2 million trout that were stocked in 30 different lakes and rivers in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado, the largest and most well-known area being Flaming Gorge Reservoir, a popular fishing spot.
The hatchery
