Trout In The Classroom

Trout in the classroom (TIC) provides an exciting and creative way for young people to become stewards of the environment through a meaningful and enjoyable combination of hands-on and classroom experience. Its main purpose is to create in youngsters a durable understanding and appreciation of the importance of clean water, the preservation and enhancement of natural resources, protection of the environment and the value of maintaining healthy populations of sport fisheries as an indicator of environmental quality. A further objective is to encourage young people to enjoy sport fishing as part of a healthy life-style and a way to connect with nature.

Through TIC, schools receive fertilized Kamloops rainbow trout eggs, hatch them, raise the fingerlings and monitor their growth during the school year and then release them into local streams in late spring.

From its beginnings in two Montgomery County schools five years ago, TIC now has expanded to 18 schools: six in Montgomery County, four each in Howard and Frederick counties, two in Carroll County and one each in Baltimore and Garrett counties. It reflects a productive partnership among PPTU, the Maryland public school system, the state Department of Natural Resources, and other TU chapters and environmental groups like the Potomac Valley Fly Fishers (PVFF).

Volunteer and school resources combine to fund and support the program. Each school obtains and sets up a 55- gallon aquarium, with a chiller, circulating air pump and other equipment and materials to test and maintain the tank's water quality. PPTU supplies the eggs and trout food to all schools. It also offers technical support to schools in Montgomery, Howard, Carroll and Baltimore counties. PVFF supports Frederick County TIC activities and a local TU chapter does the same in Garrett County.The state Department of Natural Resources provides permits for trout rearing and stocking as well as technical support for the release of the trout. The 2008-9 schools are:

Montgomery County – John Poole and Robert Frost middle schools; Forest Knolls, Ritchie Park, North Chevy Chase, and Westbrook elementary schools

Howard County – Atholton, Hammond and Swansfield elementary schools, and Burleigh Manor Middle School

Carroll County – Gerstell Academy, Northwest Middle School

Baltimore County – McDonogh School

Frederick County – Monocacy, New Market, Urbana and Windsor Knolls middle schools

Garrrett County – Crellin elementary School

Schools prepare their aquariums in November for arrival of the eggs in early January. Shipped overnight on ice, the eggs are donated to PPTU by the Washington state hatchery which DNR uses for its own trout stocking program, thereby guaranteeing disease-free eggs. Within a few hours of their arrival, PPTU volunteers divide the eggs into shares for each school and deliver them.

The program is so popular at some schools like Westbrook that the students have set up a TIC website. Moreover, weekly updates on the progress of the hatchlings are broadcast on the school's radio and TV programs and appear on signage throughout the school. Many children at all the schools also bring their parents to observe the trout and children crowd around the tanks daily to see how the fish are doing.

PPTU members are now in the process of becoming foster aunts and uncles to over 2000 baby Kamloops rainbow trout through schools in the the 2008-9 TIC program!

Trout in the Classroom has become a National Trout Unlimited program which is described at National TU Trout in the Classroom.

PPTU members Dave Wittman and Jim Greene coordinate the Maryland TIC program and would welcome the involvement of fellow PPTU'ers who could occasionally look in on neighborhood schools taking part in TIC or lend a helping hand in case of emergencies, in carrying out trout release programs or acting as guest speakers at participating schools on trout-related topics, including fly casting or tying.

The Following Message Was Received From the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources

Thanks to everyone for all your help in making this another TIC success this year. We at DNR certainly feel that the program is extremely helpful as a way to educate the generation that will influence future decisions being made concerning natural resources. The program, as I see it, is the spark that will make the necessary impression on those students fortunate enough to have taken part. Their contributions by way of their trout production will be an added benefit to our local waters.

Charles R. Gougeon
Maryland DNR Fisheries Service
Manager of Regional Operations - Inland Fisheries
Tawes State Office Bldg., B-2
580 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410-442-2080
301-854-6060

TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM UPDATE

Half way to their release in May, around 2,000 rainbow trout fry are growing and well in 18 Maryland elementary and middle schools under PPTU's Trout in the Classroom program. Supplied in January as fertilized eggs, the fingerlings will be stocked in local waters just before the end of the school year.

Trout in the Classroom is a cornerstone of PTU's youth education effort. Started in three Montgomery County schools just a few years ago through chapter initiative and funding, the program now has expanded to six Maryland counties. PPTU's work is part of a widening national Trout in the Classroom network promoting cold water conservation by helping to develop the next generation of environmental stewards. Today's youngsters hold the future of trout fishing in their hands. They are the ones who in the years ahead will help protect our threatened trout waters and enjoy the pleasures of recreational fishing. TU national now recognizes TIC as an important initiative and funds a staff position to promote exchange of ideas and experience among the various programs nationwide.

Our Trout in the Classroom program is a partnership involving the schools, PPTU and the state Department of Natural Resources. Each school provides its own miniature hatchery, mainly an aquarium, chiller and water filter. PPTU supplies both fertilized Kamloops rainbow trout eggs donated by a hatchery in Washington state, trout food and technical support. Chapter members also help with release programs, demonstrating fly tying and casting and helping with on-site stream surveys. DNR provides permits for trout rearing and stocking, offers technical support to schools and often provides on-site help on release dates as well.

How about getting involved in Trout in the Classroom as a volunteer? Additional hands are always welcome to help on release dates, as classroom speakers on conservation or fishing topics or to adopt a school and help ensure that mechanical or other issues don't imperil fingerling survival. Keeping the tanks functioning well doesn't involve rocket science. We would be happy to train volunteers in maintenance and emergency repair or replacement of malfunctioning equipment. - Dave Wittman/Jim Greene, co-coordinators Maryland Trout in the Classroom