Public and Corporate Opinion Reverses Batten Kill Stocking Plans

September 26, 2006 By: Marshall Cutchin

Voices raised in opposition to the stocking of rainbow trout in Vermont’s Batten Kill River — including Trout Unlimited and Orvis — have won at least the first round of their fight. After the meeting, Vermont officials were all but admitting that they were abandoning plans to add 1,000 rainbow to the river. “‘Right now, in terms of that meeting, the public spoke pretty clearly that they didn’t want the rainbow stocked, so we heard ’em,’ Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche told Vermont Public Radio.” (From the Burlington Free Press.) Now an Associated Press article picked up from WVPR-FM says the plan has been dropped.
Last week we posted a link to a Vermont Public Radio podcast on the story, which generated some interesting commentary.