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Trout in the Classroom

For nearly 30 years, the NCCFFI has supported the Classroom Aquarium Education Program at the club level, with 47 NCCFFI-area clubs supporting 750+ classroom aquariums and involving almost 2,000 students. Our member clubs support teachers who hatch fish in their classrooms as part of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Classroom Aquarium Education Program, also known as Trout in the Classroom, Steelhead in the Classroom, or Salmonids in the Classroom.

This is a relatively simple program that uses the classroom experience of hatching fish eggs and other related activities to teach students first-hand the value of water and aquatic environments, the importance of preserving California’s fisheries and waters, and how their action can affect these resources. These eager students go home and influence their parents – parents who vote on important conservation legislation.

With the help of NCCFFI club volunteers, teachers set up an aquarium and incubate trout eggs in their classroom.

These teachers also attend a basic class related to daily maintenance, observation of the eggs and teaching strategies.

Volunteers help obtain the necessary permits and deliver the eggs. When ready, the fry are released into a pre-approved body of water during a class field trip.

In 2012, the Aquatic Resource Educators Association (AREA) conferred upon the NCCFFI and its member clubs, in recognition of a long-term commitment to advancing student knowledge of aquatic ecosystems, an award for outstanding achievement for their efforts in aquatic education.

AREA is a national organization of Professional Aquatic Educators working for fish and wildlife agency across the United States. The NCCFFI was recognized for developing Power Point Presentations for teachers and volunteers which provide graphic illustrations of:

• How the Aquarium Replicates Nature
• The Life Cycle of a Rainbow Trout
• A Rainbow Trout’s Diet
• Components of Habitats (Riparian and Aquatic)
• Watersheds and their Impact on Streams

Additionally, the NCCFFI created three posters for classroom use Anatomy of a Rainbow Trout, Riparian Habitats, Trout Foods.

Ethan Rotman, Classroom Aquarium Education Program coordinator for the California DFW nominated the NCCFFI and later presented the award to the NCCFFI and its affiliate clubs. “This program of hatching fish in classrooms is one of the best models for creating stewards of our watersheds” Rotman stated when he presented the award. “Through the process of learning what fish need to survive, nurturing the eggs and fish, and ultimately releasing the fry, the kids connect what they know in their head with what they feel in their heart.”

“This program exists today in large part due to of the hard work, time, money, and devotion of fly-fisherman,” Rotman said.

“We fully recognize it is the individual clubs and their members that have earned this award,” said NCCFFI President Ken Brunskill. “We applaud those individuals for their visionary work protecting our rivers.”

The award was given to NCCFFI (NCCFFF at the time) as the umbrella organization for most of the individual clubs that have been involved in the program. Acting as the fiscal agent for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the council helps fund the purchase of classroom equipment.

For more information, contact us at education@nccffi.org.