Barry Forgeng
 

Update:  September 2008

 

Trout in the Classroom  (TIC)

 

For those of you who are not familiar with TIC, it is a program developed by Trout Unlimited to introduce school children to conservation, cold water resources, ecosystems and habitat study as they raise trout from eggs to fingerling which are then released into a stream appropriately suited to support native trout at the end of the program.  The program includes a full curriculum for teachers to follow or to help guide them in introducing these concepts.  Our chapter assists the schools in acquiring eggs, setup/teardown and whatever else we can to help make their program successful.

 

We are in our second year supporting this worthwhile program with one successful trout release under our belt and a new school excitedly preparing for this year.

 

TIC within our chapter started in April 2007 when Pennsbury High School approached a couple of chapter members and told them they were interested in participating in this program.  

 

We hit the ground running and started learning all we could about this program so we could support the schools.  Every year there are a number of grants offered by the PA Council of Trout Unlimited in the amount of $500.00.  The total cost for the TIC program is $1000.00 and in order for the program to get off the ground the local TU chapter donates $500.00 which covers the cost of all the equipment necessary to raise trout from eggs to ~3 inch fingerling. 

 

In the 2007-2008 school year, William Tennent HS was awarded this grant along with 12 other schools in Pennsylvania.  Once the grants are announced, training is scheduled for all the teachers and chapter TIC coordinators.  This year the training was held at Bald Eagle State Park near Penn State in central PA.  The class is a full day of instruction taught by PA Trout and other experienced TIC program folks and teachers who have been through this process many times and offered valuable experience.  After training that day we were loaded up with the 50 gallon tank and all the supplies.

 

Sheri Tenaglia from Wm. Tennent HS is a very intelligent and dedicated science teacher who was determined to make this successful.  In November, Cheri received the 200 Rainbow Trout eggs from the PA Fish and Boat Commission and placed them in the breeding basket in her tank.  By late May, 50 of the 200 trout survived and were 3 inches long and ready for the stream.  Raising trout from eggs is a very delicate undertaking which requires daily monitoring and cleaning of the environment.  Loosing one third of the fish for various reasons is average and expected.

 

The site for the release was the Lindquist Farm in Buckingham.  Our chapter is involved in conservation programs on Watson Creek which runs through this farm and was a perfect place to introduce the fingerling.  Watson has a small Brown Trout population and the addition of Rainbow Trout posed no threat to either species.  The day was perfect with 30 teenagers from the school, teachers, members from our chapter and some TV and newspaper coverage.  Each group of students had a plastic bag of 10 trout each and released them in areas of the stream with good cover for fingerling to have a fighting chance to survive.  When the bags were lowered into the water and opened, some sped off and others needed to be encouraged to enter their new world.  This release and school program was a perfect model for us to replicate in years to come.

 

The 2008-2009 TIC program is under way with Council Rock High School South anxiously awaiting training and the opportunity to have a successful TIC program.  Council Rock along with our chapter applied for and was awarded the PA Council of Trout Unlimited TIC grant.  With our help and with the dedication of teacher and students, this year should be as successful as last.  We are off to a great start and are planning on another Lindquist Farm release in May 2009.

 http://www.troutintheclassroom.org