Warren County Commissioner James Kern visits Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown
HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (Warren County) – The 2023 spring fishing season is almost here, and the hatcheries in Warren County are busy raising fish to be stocked for years to come.
Commissioner James R. Kern III had the opportunity to visit the Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown last Friday to see how it operates.
Commissioner Kern toured the facilities and grounds of the Hackettstown hatchery while learning about and taking part in the great work the hatchery does to produce and distribute 15 different species of cool and warm water fish across the state.
Hackettstown Hatchery Superintendent Craig Lemon told Commissioner Kern that “There are only two state-run hatcheries in New Jersey, [Hackettstown] and the Pequest Trout Hatchery, and we’re both located in Warren County because of the incredible water quality and high water volume.”
The Hackettstown hatchery, which is more than 110 years old, is an impressive 200 acres and also acts as a wildlife safe haven for butterflies, bees, raccoons, turtles, fox, groundhogs, beavers, multiple species of birds, and many other species.
To learn more about the Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown, click here.
For information about the Spring Trout Season, which begins Saturday, April 8, click here.
