At the most recent Vernal Chamber luncheon, Travis Anderson gave a presentation about the Jones National Fish Hatchery. The Hatchery was founded in 1968 to provide management and production of trout for mitigation of Colorado River Storage Project waters of the Upper Colorado River System and to meet Tribal trust responsibilities on Native American land. Anderson highlighted the process by pointing out that it takes approximately one year from the laying to the hatching of the eggs to 2″ stocking size. Anderson shared that cut throat trout are hatching now and in about three weeks will start swimming and being fed. In 2 months they will reach the 2 inch size and be moved to outside tanks and be ready to stock. All fish stocked from Jones Hole are released into Colorado River Storage Project waters, including Flaming Gorge, Strawberry and Scofield Reservoirs, Steinaker Reservoir, Redfleet Reservoir, Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation and Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. They primarily hatch Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, Kokanee Salmon and Tiger Trout.
