“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”It's probably safe to say that more than a few of our students are pretty comfortable with a rod and reel in their hands, one of the benefits of having easy access to great fishing in our neck of the woods. But now, thanks to our friends in the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, our students will learn everything there is to know about the lifecycle of one of the popular catches in our region. On Monday, Trout Unlimited delivered to Deposit MS/HS brown trout eggs, which the students will be raising through the school year. Not only did Trout Unlimited supply the eggs, but all the equipment we'll need to raise and care for the fish: a 55-gallon fish tank, a hatching basket, chiller, aerators, and fish food.
This process will involve multiple STEM lessons: the students will observe and learn about the fish's lifecycle, growth and development, its behavior and mannerisms, water chemistry, natural resource management and conservation, watershed geology and ecology. Having the trout will also be a nice addition to the Fly Fishing class that is offered at DCS. The district was also provided the necessary stocking permit through the DEC so in the Spring, the students can release them into a tributary of the West Branch of the Delaware River!
The program is sponsored by the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of rivers, streams and the aquatic species and fish that inhabit them.