Policy Spotlight: Stocking in Support of Recreational Fishing

A stocked nonnative rainbow trout from the White River in Arkansas, a heavily altered tailwater habitat.

“NFC avoids getting involved in heavily altered habitat that can no longer support native fish, waters where established nonnative fish prevent wild native fish from persisting, and popular stocked fisheries where attempting to do so will result in wasted time and money that could be better used elsewhere.”

Few organizations are as transparent in regard to detailed policy as NFC. We decided early on that documenting and maintaining a public FAQ that included policy positions was critical to disclosing what NFC was and wasn’t.

There are unfortunately times when NFC’s positions are deliberately misrepresented for self-serving or personal reasons. People sometimes use hearsay, opinions, generalizations, and soundbites to portray NFC in an inaccurate manner.

Before judging NFC based on what someone says, please take a moment to review our FAQ to ascertain whether the information you are getting is accurate. If you are unable to get your answer from the FAQ, please reach out to us for clarification at Info@NativeFishCoalition.org

Below is our policy in regard to stocking in support of recreational fishing as it appears in our FAQ, and has for several years. While we do not support it for the reasons noted, we do not actively oppose it unless it is negatively impacting wild native fish and there is something that can be done about.

NFC avoids getting involved in heavily altered habitat that can no longer support native fish, waters where established nonnative fish prevent wild native fish from persisting, and popular stocked fisheries where attempting to do so will result in wasted time and money that could be better used elsewhere.

Like all of NFC’s policies, we believe our position on stocking in support of recreational fishing is science-based, realistic, and pragmatic.