You may or may not already be aware, but the Governor of Connecticut, Dannel P. Malloy has now decided that it would be a good idea to shut down Connecticut’s hatcheries, ALL of them, and lay off the hatchery employees to help close the state’s budget deficit. Why does this matter if you’re not a trout fisherman? There are a number of reasons to consider:
- All Connecticut sportsmen need to stick together. We have a louder voice in our collective numbers, and a greater number of votes to use as leverage. We all need each other and need to support each other. Don’t let our government divide and conquer us, let them feel the need to please us.
- Our tackle shops depend on the income they earn from trout tackle and licenses from trout fishermen. Without this source of income many, if not all of our shops would be forced to shut their doors forever.
- If we lose our trout fisheries, it will put a huge increase in pressure on our saltwater fisheries. We are already seeing the effects of a fast-growing number of fishermen on our sport at a time when striper numbers are less than desirable. Imagine if even a quarter of today’s trout fishermen moved into striper fishing.
- If we let the hatcheries close it will set a dangerous precedent for taking away enforcement, access, boat launches and state parks… anything that has a possibility of saving dollars that were wasted by our government’s irresponsible spending habits.
- We know that the hatcheries are largely paid for by sportsmen’s fishing licenses. The fishermen they serve also provide income for tackle shops, motels, campgrounds, restaurants, gas stations and all the industries that support them.
Contact your legislators and let them know that you vote and you pay attention to how THEY vote.
The following is an example letter that can be sent to your your local legislator. You can/should also send a letter directly to Governor Malloy. An online petition has been started to oppose the hatchery closure. And lastly, spread the word of this issue with all of your friends and fellow fishermen.
Dear Representative (YOUR REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME),
My name is (YOUR NAME), and I have been a Connecticut resident for ( ) years. I am writing you to urge you to support the DEEP’s fish hatcheries and continue their funding. These facilities are a valuable resource to our state’s economy, sportsmen and educational institutions.
Connecticut’s economy and sportsmen benefit from the hatcheries. They supply resident and nonresident fishermen with countless hours of quality outdoor recreation and bring in money through fishing licenses, tackle sales, motel stays and restaurant meals. The savings from closing these facilities would be superseded by the money lost to our economy, and the quality of life in our state would be diminished for many. The hatcheries’ funding is supported, for a large part, by fishing licenses purchased for the purpose of using the products of this hatchery and cutting its funding would do very little to offset our current fiscal deficit.
Our tackle shops depend on the income they earn from trout tackle and licenses from trout fishermen. Without them most, if not all, of our shops would be forced to shut their doors forever.
If we lose our trout fisheries, it will put a huge increase in pressure on our saltwater fisheries. We are already seeing the effects of a fast-growing number of fishermen on our sport, at a time when striper numbers are less than desirable. Imagine if even a quarter of today’s trout fishermen moved into striper fishing.
If we let the hatcheries close, it’ll set a dangerous precedent for taking away enforcement, access, boat launches and state parks… anything that has a possibility (or illusion) of saving dollars that were actually wasted by our government’s irresponsible spending habits.
There are 65 schools with 6,414 students presently involved in the Salmon in the Classroom program. There are 86 schools, 103 tanks and an estimated 10,000 students involved and affected to some degree in the Trout in Classroom Schools.
These fish provide an interesting and hands-on educational resource that engages students in their work and makes their learning real, relevant and meaningful. They are used to teach about genetics, aquaculture, growth and development, math skills, teamwork, problem-solving, data organization and many other aspects of a well-rounded education. What can you think of that more directly fits the STEM education that is currently being encouraged in our Connecticut schools?
Please take this into consideration when making your decision on this matter.
Respectfully,
(YOUR NAME)
