SPRAGUE, Conn. — As teams from the Connecticut Department of Energy (CT DEEP) and Environmental Protection continue their Atlantic Salmon stocking program they have added another initiative into the mix. Because the Atlantic Salmon program is so unique and because it brings so many people to fish both in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers, the DEEP has started a program called “Tag, You’re it”.
The new program tags the prized Atlantic Salmon and then asks fishermen to report back some stats to DEEP.
“If an angler catches one we’d like them to call us or fill out and online survey with the number,” said Mike Beauchene, the supervising fisheries biologist at DEEP. He added, “We are doing it so that we can see how far the fish move and how many times a fish has been caught.”
From the banks of the Shetucket River in Baltic, Beauchene also said that the Atlantic Salmon program brings anglers to Connecticut from all around the region.
“[They travel] from Maine, New Hampshire, Delaware, you will see the license plates from all over at our stocking locations,” Beauchene said.
Pete Aarrestad, the director of the Fisheries Division at the DEEP, said the results from the “Tag, You’re It” program have been favorable, and he hopes to bring it back next year.
He also encouraged people to take advantage of the Fall fishing season.
“We try to provide great fishing opportunities year-round and [fishing for] Atlantic Salmon is one of those super things you can do in the Fall in Connecticut,” Aarrestad said.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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