Due to circumstances beyond our control, Antoine Bissieux had to cancel his speaking engagement with us next Wednesday, February 8th. In his place we have scheduled a Zoom call with Chris Murphy of Trout Power. We will still meet at Edmond Town Hall, enjoy pizza and beverages, and our raffle. The Zoom presentation will be projected on our screen at the front of the room.
Chris Murphy
Trout Power is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that relies on volunteers as citizen scientists. Learn how this grassroots organization is using citizen science efforts to identify, map, monitor and advocate for protection of wild and genetically unique brook trout populations in the Adirondacks and wherever they are found throughout New York. Chris Murphy, current president and high school science teacher in Vermont will be giving the presentation.
What is a heritage strain Brook Trout?
Brook trout are not only the state fish of New York, they are one of the few fish that is native to the state. As the last glaciers receded thousands of years ago, a pristine environment was left behind for these native fish. Today New York consists of 7,600 lakes and ponds, and over 70,000 miles of streams and rivers. To fill these waterbodies, the DEC in NY has had an active stocking program of brook trout beginning in 1879-1880. Over the past 140 years continuous stocking has lead to intraspecific breeding with native populations of fish by mixing the genetics and creating hybrids of stocked and native DNA. Within New York, there are a select few populations of genetically distinct brook trout that have not been influenced by stocking. These fish are titled "heritage strain brook trout". Each heritage strain is named according to the waterbody they were identified in and shows physical differences exemplifying the unique genetics of the native fish. In the past few years, Trout Power has identified a previously undocumented heritage strain of brook trout and continues to search for more.