Trout Unlimited
Agriculture at the Munnell Run Farm is more than raising
livestock. Aquaculture, which is
producing fish, is also active at the farm.
Fish are raised at the Munnell Run Cooperative Trout Nursery, which is a
joint venture between the Neshannock Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the PA Fish
and Boat Commission. The building, which
is located on the grounds of Munnell Run Farm, was converted for trout
production from a deteriorating and no longer used slaughterhouse. Volunteers repaired the ailing exterior of
the building and installed a concrete block raceway to hold water. Water is delivered to the nursery by gravity
from a spring located over 1,400 feet to the west of the facility. The spring provides a constant flow of
quality water, which cycles through the raceway and provides the trout with
clean, temperate growing conditions.
In 1997 the first fingerling trout arrived at the Munnell Run
Cooperative Trout Nursery for rearing.
Trout arrive each year in mid June and are raised until all trout are stocked
by the following May. Approximately
2,500 trout are raised at the facility annually by a core group of eight
volunteers. The nursery volunteers
operate as the management team of the nursery under the guidance and financial
support of the Neshannock Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The management team members coordinate the
feeding, health care, and stocking of the fish as well as routine maintenance
on nursery equipment and the facilities.
The trout that are raised at the nursery are stocked into local streams
that are approved by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
Neshannock Chapter of Trout
Unlimited (link: www.neshannock-tu.org)
Munnell
Run Cooperative Nursery