(Host) Vermont Fish and Wildlife is reporting some success in a four-year habitat restoration project on the Batten Kill Trout Fishery.
Following a significant decline in the trout population in the 1990’s, the department began to create artificial refuge areas for the fish.
Officials have been monitoring the population since 2005, and new data indicates an almost five-fold increase in the numbers of trout.
Kenneth Cox of Fish and Wildlife says the Batten Kill has a long history of being an important trout fishery for Vermont.
(Cox) "It is one that has been largely sustained through natural reproduction, that is without stocking, since the mid-1970’s."
(Host) Cox says the data shows that habitat restoration can be an important tool in addressing areas with declining trout populations.
(Cox) "If we can, through habitat manipulation, improve conditions for that wild trout population to rebuild itself, we’re optimistic we can return the Batten Kill fishery back to something very similar to what it was before."
(Host) Scientists will continue to extend the habitat restoration to additional sections of the river this coming year.