Kamloops Trout

The DNR has announced that they will be reducing operations at the French River Hatchery. hatchery. source I’m not much of a fisherman, so I don’t usually pay much attention to this, but I was surprised at the number of Kamloops that are stocked in Lake Superior each year.  Approximately 92,500.  That sounds like alot.  It started me thinking about the ethics and value of stocking fish like this.  In reading the article, it sounds like the main reason for stocking the lake is so there are fish to catch.  Kamloops are very popular with sport fishermen.

Some questions:  is there an environmental impact due to these fish?  Positive?  Negative?   The DNR does state that they are an exotic species and not native to the big lake.

Is there another reason (besides stocking for fishermen to catch) that fish, particularly this species, is stocked in Lake Superior?

If there’s not, should the State be in the business?  Especially now with the realization that license fees do not bring in enough money to support the stocking operation?

I don’t have any particular feelings about this, other that curiosity, so no one needs to convince me of anything.  I’m just wondering.

Now remind me, was it fish stocking or a stocking fish?

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