A prized fish among Garden State anglers, the Eastern brook trout has seen significant population declines in recent years, threatened by several factors — from increasing water temperatures to competition with nonnative species.
To combat this, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced Wednesday that it will be leading a multi-state partnership to help restore Eastern brook trout to waterways in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Through this partnership, the NJDEP will be administering a $3.5 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which is designed to “enhance forested waterway habitats that support this hallmark fish species and others that depend on clear and cold streams and lakes.”
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“New Jersey is proud to be part of this effort,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “This species holds a special place for anglers and anyone who cares about the health of our cold-water streams and lakes.”
“We thank the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for this opportunity and look forward to working with our partner states in developing projects that will enhance habitat not only for Eastern brook trout, but for other cold-water fish species as well,” LaTourette said.
Eastern brook trout conservation
The Eastern brook trout, commonly called brookies, was named New Jersey’s state fish by the Legislature in 1991 and is the state’s only native trout species.
Often considered an indicator of good water quality, Eastern brook trout, along with other fish species in the area, have experienced drastic population declines in recent years. This can be attributed to habitat fragmentation, warming water temperatures, competition from non-native trout species and more, according to the DEP.
Brook trout to be released into the Pequannock River.
Brook trout require cold, high-quality habitats. They are typically found in small, upland streams, primarily in the northern tier of the state. Today, Eastern brook trout are only found in a fraction of the waters of their native range, according to the DEP.
Over the years, multiple protective regulations have been put in place to conserve the native brook trout population.
In 1997, the state issued a minimum harvesting size of 7 inches for trout, both wild and stocked. This minimum was increased to 9 inches in 2008.
In 2018, the Brook Trout Conservation Zone was established. All brook trout caught within the conservation zone must be immediately released unharmed. This zone spans all or parts of Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Hunterdon and Somerset counties where most of the remaining brook trout populations live.
The $3.5 million grant announced by the NJDEP Wednesday aims to continue brook trout conservation efforts by funding cold-water conservation projects in priority watersheds. These projects will include the removal of barriers such as dams and culverts, the enhancement of instream habitats, the restoration of floodplain habitats and the mitigation of upstream stressors that can lead to higher water temperatures.
The America the Beautiful Challenge grant
This grant is part of $122.5 million in grants announced by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that have been awarded through the America the Beautiful Challenge, a grant program launched by President Joe Biden in 2021 with the goal of conserving at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
The grants support projects all over the country to conserve, restore and protect wildlife habitats and ecosystems while also improving community resilience and access to nature, according to the NJDEP.
Under this grant, the DEP will collaborate with several other agencies to protect the biodiversity of the Appalachian Corridor streams and highlands in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
“We are excited to be part of this multi-state conservation effort that will enhance habitat for the region’s only native trout species,” said Dave Golden, NJDEP Fish and Wildlife assistant commissioner. “This collaborative approach will help achieve conservation goals across state lines, which will benefit not only Eastern brook trout but also a diverse array of aquatic species.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJDEP grant will help restore Eastern brook trout population