Hatcheries and Stocking (Public Waters)

Please Note

Delayed harvest stockings are postponed indefinitely until we assess both damage to our facilities and damage to the delayed harvest waters that we would normally stock. When more information is available, we will provide it.

Fish hatcheries are an important component of freshwater fisheries management in North Carolina. The Wildlife Resources Commission uses hatchery-reared fish for a variety of purposes, including enhancing existing fisheries and establishing new populations. Each year, Commission staff stocks approximately 6 million fish in public lakes, ponds, streams and rivers throughout the state. The sections below provide more information on the agency’s six fish hatcheries and multiple stocking programs.

Coldwater Stocking

 

Coldwater Stocking by County

To find out how many brook, brown or rainbow trout the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission plans to stock this year in a specific county's waters, select the county from the map below, which will download the appropriate PDF.