Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford

The Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford Township, New Jersey is the only state-owned and operated trout hatchery. It is run by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.


Up to 700,000 trout annually are prepared for eventual release into the lakes, rivers and streams of New Jersey. 

Last October, after visiting Belvidere and while we were eating at Hot Dog Johnny’s, which I wrote about in my last post, we wandered over to look at the Pequest River flowing behind the restaurant.


We saw this sign:

We were vaguely wondering about stocking the rivers with trout while on our way home and drove right by The Pequest Trout Hatchery. It was open, so we decided to visit!


Eggs from trout are taken and put into incubators. When they hatch, they are transferred to the nursery, where they reside in large fiberglass tanks for about 4 months. 

The raceways where the trout mature:


Then the trout are transported to their destinations in more than 200 lakes, streams and rivers all around New Jersey.


There is an education center in the main building that describes the life of the trout and other wildlife in New Jersey: 


The long wooden structure with holes is a bee house, and the top one is a bat house. 


The New Jersey state record black bear. He weighed 829 pounds and was 13 years old.

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