February 25, 2014

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will be holding its annual Trout Stocking Public Meeting on Saturday, March 8, in the Centenary Theater (aka The Little Theater), located in the Seay Building, Centenary College, Jefferson Avenue, Hackettstown, Warren County. The meeting begins at 10 a.m.

Fisheries Patholgist Dr. Jan Lovy and Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries biologists will present information on the proposed policy (see below) regarding management of the bacterial disease (furunculosis), which occurred this past fall at the Pequest Trout Hatchery, as well as a proposal to alter Spring trout stocking in order to protect the state’s trout resources.

This important meeting will have a comment period at the end of the program to provide opportunity for anglers to ask questions, voice their opinions, and give suggestions regarding the proposed changes for New Jersey's 2014 trout stocking program. Information about furunculosis at the hatchery, the proposed changes and proposed trout allocations are below.

More information on furunculosis, and the 2014 Trout Stocking can be found at the following links. The Division urges the public to comment on the proposed policy, and use of trout affected by furunculosis using the form linked below.

PUBLIC NOTICE - Policy for the Use of Trout Affected by Furunculosis at the Pequest Trout Hatchery (pdf, DEP Website)

Presentation On Treatment and Stocking Plans (pdf, 2.5mb)

Proposed Changes to the 2014 NJ Trout Stocking Program (pdf, 16kb)

Proposed Spring Trout Stocking Allocations (pdf, 40kb)

Questions and Answers Concerning Furunculosis (pdf, 26kb)

Additional information, including the complete proposed policy, is available in the Public Notice (pdf, DEP Website).

Persons wishing to submit comments after viewing the above materials and/or attending the meeting may do so by March 9, 2014:

Responses to questions or issues raised in comments will not be sent; questions regarding the trout program can be submitted via the Contact Us E-mail Form.