MassWildlife operates five fish hatcheries in the state, located in Sandwich, Belchertown, Montague, Sunderland, and Palmer. Spawning is underway at the Palmer and Sandwich hatcheries to produce more than 1.5 million fertile brook trout, brown trout and tiger trout eggs. These eggs, coupled with rainbow trout eggs obtained through a cooperative program with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, are reared at MassWildlife’s five hatcheries to produce trout for stocking rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds throughout the Commonwealth during the spring and fall.
Trained MassWildlife staff extract eggs from females and milt from males and combine them with water to begin the fertilization process. After incubating for about two months, the eggs hatch into fry and after growing in the hatchery for 1.5–2.5 years they will be ready for stocking.
• Learn more about MassWildlife’s Trout Stocking Program.