Total dollar value for all farmed trout sold by United States growers was $71.3 million dollars, at an average price of $1.39 a pound, down 5% from 2009’s total.
Idaho is the largest grower of commercial trout in the US, accounting for 50% of the nationwide total.
For trout 12 inches or longer, 64 percent were sold to processors and 17 percent were sold for recreational stocking.
Surely it sounds boring and innocent enough, but if trout farms sell 17% of their fish as recreational stockers, it suggests that all manner of genetically manipulated lumpy genomes will be plying our waterways in short order.
Twice the muscle mass and half the brains would be a formidable temptation for some angling enthusiast with a small pond, who wants something other than a traditional warm water fishery in his backyard.
Fast forward to the Asian Carp and a flooded farm pond, whose sudden presence in the Mississippi is liable to rewrite what’s native to North America for the next millennia.
Both trout farmers and salmon growers have insisted genetically modified fish would be grown inland, in restrictive ponds that wouldn’t allow release into the wild, and while much of the recreational stocking is likely state hatcheries purchasing fingerling fish to offset unforeseen calamity at one or more of their facilities, it sets the stage for the accidental towing of the wrong semi to the wrong destination, and suddenly that airtight glove of security is so very porous…
Only yesterday we found a lumpy, muscle-bound Governor with a thick Austrian accent to be entirely acceptable. What makes you think that a similar trout or something with an Asian accent won’t serve? Besides, didn’t you write last week that after years of inspired leadership…the state can’t afford to stock our streams? America is the great melting pot and if tying flies means imitating natural cheese balls…get busy.
I’m happy to live in a state that does not stock moving waters with trout. This great policy has allowed Montana trout stocks to adapt to their environments. Even when whirling disease hit Montana FWP did not stock famous rivers like the Madison. After over a decade nature did its work and the rainbows have evolved a resistence to the disease. Trout numbers in the Madison are very near pre whirling disease numbers at this time.
In a few months I will be rafting the Middle Folk of the Salmon River. Want me to plant some of the Little Stinking trophy fish in their backyard?
W.T.
I realize that was tongue-in-cheek, but I was halfway out of my chair and reaching for a blunt instrument before I could get control of my reflexes…
You are a fortunate individual to be able to float the middle fork. It is one of the few places in the lower 48 that has remained relatively untouched, and is one of the last remaining strongholds for the west slope cutthroat. (Oncoryhnchus clarkii lewisi) It is also a magnificent river in its own right. Treasure the experience.
Fortunately, Idaho largely concentrates its stocking efforts on the “family fishing waters” which can be translated as “put-and-take, sit-in-a-recliner-and-listen-to the-car-radio” pond. Our cutthroat rivers at least, are seen as valuable in their own right. For now.
TC – thanks for not clubbing me with your rod.
I realize the treasure that the Middle Fork is. Years ago I floated the Main Fork. BTW, not only will I not be fishing at all (I need both hands to hold on to the raft) but by use of the “grover” we don’t even leave “a trace” of our visit on the river bank, if you catch my drift.