New Hampshire Fish and Game Announces Trout Stocking Adjustments Associated with Hatchery Modernization

CONTACT:
John Magee: (603) 271-2501
Inland Fisheries Division: (603) 271-2501
April 4, 2025

Concord, NH – As an integral part of Fish and Game’s Inland Fisheries Division’s hatchery modernization process, the hatchery at New Hampton has been decommissioned to facilitate the construction of a new state-of-the-art hatchery, slated for completion at the end of 2026. Because all production at New Hampton will be lost during the build-out of the new facility, anglers can expect a reduction in stocked fish over the 2025–2026 fishing season.

“Because we have lost all of New Hampton’s inventory contribution until the new complex is completed, in addition to the disruption in fish production at Powder Mill to meet EPA water quality requirements, Fish and Game will be unable to stock the same quantities of fish as we have in the past,” said Fisheries Division Program Supervisor John Magee. “In the long term, when the modernized New Hampton Hatchery is in full operation, anglers will see an increased quantity of healthier fish and a cleaner environment surrounding this hatchery.”

Stocking efforts have begun statewide and are based on a variety of factors designed to meet the needs of as many anglers as possible. “Considerations such as the popularity of a site, the ability of a location to be accessed for fishing, stocking logistics, and the capacity of a waterbody to support varied trout species and satisfy angler demand are all factors in our current stocking strategy,” said Magee. “We will continue to publish our weekly stocking reports on the Fish and Game website and maintain the stocking map to keep people up to date on the opportunities we delivered.”

Fish and Game’s stocking efforts have historically focused on fish species associated with cold-water rivers and streams, as well as lakes and ponds. Anglers may wish to explore new and diverse opportunities such as abundant wild brook trout in headwater streams, naturally propagated lake trout in large lakes such as Winnipesaukee, and widespread, self-sustaining warm-water species such as largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and various panfish species. “There are a number of fish species that Inland Fisheries does not stock that are exciting to reel in and great to eat,” Magee said. “This might be the perfect season to challenge your skills by targeting different species that are locally abundant in New Hampshire’s lakes and ponds, as well as many rivers and streams.”

As Fish and Game invests in the future through its hatchery modernization efforts, we are grateful that we can count on resident and visiting anglers for their continued support.

Fish and Game was originally founded in 1865 to address declining fish populations due to overfishing in the state. Its stocking program has existed since the late 1800s, and the hatchery program began in the early 1900s. The six current facilities are located in Milford, New Hampton, New Durham, Warren, Carroll, and Berlin and have produced over 1 million fish for stocking in state waters each year for an estimated 150,000 anglers.

To read the most recent stocking report, visit https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/fishing-new-hampshire/stocking-report.

For more information about the Inland Fisheries Division’s hatchery program and its modernization project, visit https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/fishing-new-hampshire/new-hampshire-fish-hatcheries.

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