Trout in the Classroom - Ocean County Soil Conservation District

Ocean County Soil Conservation District, in partnership with the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife and Trout Unlimited, provide a unique learning experience for students through the Trout in the Classroom program. Students raise trout from fry in their classroom then release the fish into a healthy New Jersey stream in the spring.

Trout arrive on Release Day in a bucket with students from all different classes. These trout are soon to be released into a healthy NJ stream.

Trout are released into the headwaters of the Toms River at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson, NJ.

Each year, the Ocean County Soil Conservation District, in partnership with the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife and Trout Unlimited, collaborate to provide unique hands-on learning experiences to students throughout New Jersey through Trout in the Classroom.

The main objective of this program is to provide schools with the tools and resources necessary for raising trout from fry in their classroom, while providing the educational materials to enhance their curriculum. Students care for trout in classroom tanks from egg to fingerling. Each spring, the trout are released into a healthy New Jersey stream.

The Ocean County Soil Conservation District is happy to sponsor four tanks in Ocean County schools each year at Stafford Intermediate School, Berkeley Township Elementary School, New Egypt High School and Lakewood High School. Students who have a tank in their classroom have the unique hands-on opportunity to raise fish from eggs, maintain water quality, learn more about stream habitats, and gain a better understanding of ecosystems while fostering a stronger conservation ethic and appreciation for natural resources.