Minnesota Legislature earmarks millions for fishing hatchery upgrades, other outdoor recreation improvements
WATERVILLE, Minn. -- The Waterville fish hatchery managed by the Minnesota Department of Resources has been around since the early 1950s. But in seven decades of operation, not much has changed.
That could be a problem if upgrades aren't made, said Craig Soupir, supervisor of the Waterville Area Fisheries within the state agency.
"This facility is in need of improvements because we have to have that to sustain what we do," he explained.
Waterville is one of 15 hatcheries across the state that raise tens of thousands of fish—from walleye to muskie— and then stock them in Minnesota rivers and lakes to enhance fishing opportunities, a key feature of outdoor recreation in the state and a boost to the state's bottom line—anglers contribute $4.2 billion to the state economy.
But this hatchery needs serious repairs. Everything is manually operated; there's no technology to control the water temperature and no water filtration, raising concern about invasive species and other diseases.
Soupir told WCCO he and his colleagues have made it work, but the facility would benefit from 21st century enhancements. Improvements could mean more efficient operations and more fish production, he said.
This year at the capitol, he got what he was hoping for: The Minnesota legislature earmarked $35 million in General Fund appropriations for fishing improvements across the state ,including fish hatcheries, but in the bonding package, the Waterville got an additional $20 million for a renovation.
The investment is dubbed the "Get Out MORE" budget. More is an acronym for "modernize outdoor recreation experiences." There's additional money to improve camp sites and revamp parks and trails so they are accessible to people with disabilities.
A lot of it is one-time funds from the $17.5 billion surplus this biennium.
"Without an investment in this facility, we could have some sort of drastic outcomes where we won't be able to raise fish," he said. "Or we lose our water supply while we're in the middle of raising walleye eggs in our hatchery and not have an alternative source and there you are -- you can lose everything."
This site is especially critical to southern parts of the state where natural reproduction of walleye is challenging. The supply from the Waterville hatchery makes fishing opportunities possible in some places, Soupir added.