Brown trout release
The first brown trout reared from the recently reopened Wellgreen Hatchery in the heart of Stirling’s city centre have been successfully released into the River Forth.
The first brown trout reared from the recently reopened Wellgreen Hatchery, in the heart of Stirling’s city centre, have been successfully released into the River Forth.
The young fry are the first batch of brown trout to come from the initiative by Stirling Council in partnership with The River Forth Anglers Association and Howietoun Fishery to provide education opportunities to local schools while promoting conservation in the River Forth and River Teith.
Wellgreen Nursery children, who have been closely following the workings of the nearby hatchery and the rearing of the brown trout eggs to young fry, came along to see the fish being released from the banks of the River Forth.
Wellgreen hatchery was last used in 2001 and is served by pure clear spring water from the historical St. Ninian’s Well. Stirling resident Mr. Allister McDonald first used the hatchery for rearing brown trout in 1970. Before that, the building was used as a washhouse built by Stirling Burgh for local people to use in 1737.
Clackmannanshire and Stirling Environment Trust, Stirling Council and the River Forth Anglers Association provided the funding for the project. Howietoun Hatchery assisted by supplying the eggs and offering training and expertise and the Anglers Association tended to the trout.
Stirling Council’s Fisheries Officer David Jones said: “The Wellgreen hatchery is a great resource for environmental education and conservation in the local area. I’d like to thank our partners for their hard work and commitment to the project and hope many more children can get involved with the work of the hatchery in the future.”
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