Raleigh – The N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission’s Armstrong State Fish Hatchery in McDowell County north of Marion sustained significant damage as a result of Hurricane Helene.
Flooding and landslides were responsible for the hatchery being closed indefinitely.
Some of the trout escaped during the flooding, but more than 600,000 fish of various sizes died when the storm compromised the water supply to the raceways and hatchery building, the NCWRC reported in a release.
Fisheries staff along with agency engineers continue to assess the damage and are developing plans to retune to normal operations.
The Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery in Transylvania County was expected to undergo major renovations and be closed for the next four to five years and effect trout stocking in the western part of the state for the next few years, but due to the Armstrong State hatchery being damaged, the renovations are on pause.
The Bobby N. Setzer, Table Rock and Marion State Fish hatcheries received limited damage and are fully operational, the NCWRC said.
Due to Armstrong’s closing, the staff at Setzer have begun to ramp up trout production back to full speed.
Commission biologists have assessed all Delayed Harvest Trout Water locations over the past few months to determine what areas may be safe to stock and for anglers to fish.
The assistant chief of inland fisheries, Corey Oakley, said, “Staff will continue to evaluate Delayed Harvest Trout Water locations for accessibility to anglers. Every effort is being made to stock all accessible locations so that anglers, both from western North Carolina and who visit, can enjoy Pubic Mountain Trout Water streams in areas unaffected by Hurricane Helene.”
Oakley added, “The tremendous work staff has done to get production back up at Setzer and to evaluate all of our Delayed Harvest Streams will enable us to stock some of our Delayed Harvest Trout Waters beginning the first week of November, and additional stockings will occur the first week of December.”
Delayed Harvest Trout Waters include rivers in such as Fires Creek in Clay County and Snowbird Creek in Graham County.
Details: For Delayed Harvest Trout Water locations that will be stocked and information about Armstrong State Fish Hatchery, visit ncwildlife.org/trout.