Who We Are and What We Do

Operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, this National Fish Hatchery (NFH) is one of many serving a vital role in the management of our country’s fishery resources. Dale Hollow NFH was established to mitigate for fishery resources which were lost due to the construction of federal water development projects in the Southeast. This is accomplished by stocking rainbow, brown, lake, and brook trout in waters impacted by federal dams. Stocking trout in public waters supports a significant recreational fishery which generates a substantial amount of economic activity for local and regional economies. This facility is also involved in the conservation of imperiled freshwater non-game fishes.

Station Facts

Established: 1965.
Number of staff: eight.
Annual budget (FY 08) $788,884.
Public Use Opportunities

 

Visitation:

Hours are 7:30A to 3:30P (CST) daily.
More than 50,000 visitors yearly.
Hatchery tours.
Off-site presentations.
Aquarium/visitor center.
Paved walking and exercise road.
Public fishing area.
Nature viewing.

Station Goals

• Provide rainbow, brown, lake, and brook trout for mitigation stocking in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.
• Provide rainbow trout to Alabama in return for Gulf Coast striped bass eggs and fry.
• Provide a limited number of rainbow trout for non-mitigation stocking in Tennessee under a cooperative agreement with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
• Assist in the recovery and restoration of imperiled aquatic species by developing propagation/culture techniques and rearing animals for reintroduction into the wild.
• Assist Tribal governments in managing fisheries resources on Tribal lands.
• Work with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency to ensure a thorough, perennial hatchery product evaluation program.
• Provide quality environmental education opportunities.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with chambers of commerce, state tourism departments, and other agencies to promote regional support for recreational fishing and the fish hatchery.
• Establish and maintain a "Friends Group" to gain community and regional support for the fish hatchery.
• Establish and maintain a native warm season grass (prairie grass) demonstration plot.

Calendar of Events

• May - International Migratory Bird Events
• June 6, 2009 - Kids' Fishing Rodeo
• December - Christmas Bird Count
• May through November - camping in adjacent Corps of Engineers Campground (reservations recommended) Year-round fishing in local waters

A new 'Biologist in Training' (BiT) outreach effort is now underway. This effort is aimed at young students who are interested in a future in fishery biology. For more information please visit www.fws.gov/southeast/fisheries/BiT, or contact the hatchery at the number below.