Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency announced winter hours for the Tellico Hatchery in Tellico Plains. Holidays along with hours of daylight and alterations in operations are the primary reasons for changes.
Fish eat less during colder months. This reason, along with a reduction of seasonal responsibilities such as mowing grass and hatchery upkeep, means fewer people on staff. The hatchery also has fewer visitors during colder months.
Tellico employees are working with 6,000 brook trout eggs and will have 150,000 rainbow trout on site by December. Travis Scott, Tellico hatchery manager said, “We are busy and have a lot to share during every season, but we notice more visitors during sunny, warm days”.
Tellico Hatchery will be closed to the public Thursday and Friday, for Thanksgiving. The hatchery will also be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Tellico Hatchery will be closed to the public on weekends during the months of December, January, and February. The hatchery’s new winter hours will be Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The hatchery will resume weekend hours March 5, 2016.
For more information, visit tnwildlife.org.