Fish into water, SeDoMoCha fourth-graders release their trout

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Something fishy that has been going on all year with SeDoMoCha Elementary School fourth-graders came to an end along the banks of the Piscataquis River at Brown’s Mill Park on May 25. Through the “Trout in the Classroom” program the students raised their own fish from eggs and the trout were released into the water along with others from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

Standing in the water with waders on, Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District Educational Coordinator Kacey Weber explained May 25 was a “trout release day” with the fourth-graders traveling to the town park to put fish in the water and take part in several games and lessons tying in to what they have learned about the species this school year.

“So the kids are saying goodbye to their fish,” Weber said, with the trout poured into the Piscataquis River at the start of the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. program. She said the students raised about 300 fish and the Inland Fisheries & Wildlife stocked 750 more fully-grown trout.

Weber worked with SeDoMoCha School Librarian Carolyn Clark throughout the school year. The PCSWCD received a grant from The Nature Conservancy to purchase a tank and the district partnered with the state to get the fish.

“We chose the library so it would reach the whole fourth grade,” PCSWCD Executive Director Sarah Robinson said. “So every class had a turn to be part of raising a fish and seeing the different life cycles and feeding them and taking care of them and the end of releasing them into the Piscataquis River. All of the kids had the opportunity to bring down a bucket full of fish and they released them here.”

“I have been working with them year round so they have been learning about ecosystems and trout life cycle and trout habitat and now here we are today,” Weber said. “They are going to be playing games, they are going to be looking for macroinvertebrates here so basically trout food and they are learning how to fly cast and fly tying and at Sarah’s station they are trying fishing gear on.”

“We have partner organizations here so we have Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, we have The Nature Conservancy, the soil and water conservation district, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and we actually have a local guide here as well, Chris Dumont, and Trout Unlimited is here,” she said about those helping out with the trout release day.

Weber said the students seemed to be having a good time. Along the river banks Weber and Eileen Bader Hall, freshwater restoration manager for The Nature Conservancy, helped the students look for macroinvertebrates. Weber said the presence of the small insects is an indicator of water quality.

“So if they weren’t here, would the trout be here?,” she asked a grade 4 classroom.

Weber and Hall pulled up river rocks the students pointed out and the fourth-graders then inspected for macroinvertebrates. Anything they found was put in a small plastic bowl filled with water and the students then consulted laminated cards to try to identify the species. Several mayflies and caddisflies were found, along with a penny beetle.

“Our goal, hopefully, next year is to have it in Guilford and we’re hoping to rotate it around so that every school has the opportunity to participate,” Weber said about Trout in the Classroom. “We’re also hoping because this year we are at SeDoMocha, that they might continue next year as well so we will have multiple programs in multiple schools.”

Weber thanked the town of Dover-Foxcroft. “The town was a great partner in this, they were very cooperative in letting us be here,” she said.