Massachusetts Aquaculture White Paper - State and Federal Aquaculture Facilities

Fish hatcheries in Massachusetts play a major role in providing some of the finest freshwater fishing found anywhere in the Northeast. Freshwater fishing is big business in Massachusetts. According to the 1991 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Survey, freshwater anglers in the Commonwealth spend over $100 million each year to pursue their sport. That generates some $8 million in state sales and income taxes while supporting approximately 3,000 full time jobs. In addition to recreational fishing, hatcheries are critical to restoring Atlantic salmon to their native watersheds in the Commonwealth.

State Facilities

Bitzer, McLaughlin, Sandwich, and Sunderland hatcheries use tank, pond, and raceway culture to annually produce 450,000 to 500,000 pounds of brook, brown, and rainbow trout. These fish are subsequently stocked into ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams during the spring, fall and winter across the Commonwealth to provide fishing opportunities all year long.

Roger Reed Hatchery in Palmer is dedicated to producing Atlantic salmon, landlocked salmon, and northern pike. Annually, some one million Atlantic salmon fry are produced as part of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife's effort to restore Atlantic salmon to their native habitats. The Palmer facility also holds Atlantic salmon broodstock for egg and fry production. Other products from this hatchery include 10,000 to 12,000 northern pike fingerlings (10-12") that are cultured in tanks at the station and then stocked into several waters statewide to enhance trophy fishing opportunities and nearly 10,000 landlocked salmon fry used to maintain a recreational fishery in Quabbin Reservoir.

Federal Facilities

Massachusetts also has two federal hatcheries that are involved in the Atlantic salmon restoration efforts. The Richard Cronin National Salmon Station holds, spawns, and reconditions Atlantic salmon captured at the fishways on the Connecticut River. The Attleboro National Fish Hatchery holds sea-run fish for spawning, incubates the eggs, and produces fry. The Berkshire National Fish Hatchery is currently not in use.

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Published: September 1995