I reported (two posts down) that the restoration efforts on the Batten Kill were going to proceed without state stocking of rainbow trout (further stressing an already pressured fish population in marginal habitat).

If you're not current on this story, several organizations (including Trout Unlimited and Orvis) were funding habitat restoration efforts on the river when the Vermont Fish Wildlife service announced plans to stock 1000 sterile rainbow trout for catch kill purposes (the river is CR).


Restoration on the Batten Kill should continue without stocking of rainbow trout.

Orvis threatened to withdraw the remainder of its $100,000 habitat restoration contribution if the river wasn't managed for wild trout, and after a public meeting where comments ran 5-1 against stocking, the stocking plan looked dead in the water.

Still, the final decision won't be made until October 21, and Wayne Laroch - Commissioner of Vermont Fish Wildlife - said "The possibility of stocking is slim."

Slim?! For now, we'll take that as a good sign, but we'll keep an eye on the thing.

Nowadays you can't take your eyes off a good wild trout population for fear you'll go there one day and discover someone has smashed the passenger side window and stolen the wild trout "radio" out from under your nose...

Batten Kill, restoration, Orvis