Northwoods Experience: DNR Fish Hatchery in Remer Supplying Trout to MN Waters

In a state known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, fish management finds its way into the fold, and the DNR’s Spire Valley State Fish Hatchery in Remer is devoted to exactly that.

One thing any fish hatchery needs is water, and for Spire Valley, which uses roughly 6,000 gallons of water per minute, natural springs play a pivotal role.

“A third of that comes out of our springs, which is a huge benefit because that’s naturally flowing water that we can just use,” said Meredith Warmuth, Spire Valley State Fish Hatchery Assistant Manager. “It would be going into the watershed where it already runs anyway. And we’re just able to harness the power of that, which means less cost of electricity, less wells that we have to run, and nice, cold water for our fish.”

The hatchery today tends to the Kamloops rainbow trout, whether they are eggs, fingerlings, or up to five years old. Supporting their development requires optimal conditions.

“If our water gets over about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, they can start to die,” explained Warmuth. “The first pond is used for start-up fish – late in the summer, around the end of August, beginning of September, we move them from that pond to the one that’s behind me for fall stocking. They stay over winter in that pond, and we stock them in the lakes using that pond in the spring.”

Spire Valley stocked over 120,000 Kamloops in April this year. Many fish stay comfy with a roof over their heads, while those in ponds can face problems from natural predators, which the hatchery accounts for.

“The biggest problem is the herons,” Warmuth stated. “We put strings over the tops of our ponds and we’ve also put netting on the side so that those birds have a really hard time getting in and an even harder time getting out if they do get in. Otters and the mink as well come in during the winter and we have had to get the proper permits so that we can trap those and keep them out of our system.”

Although the hatchery has served the same purpose for nearly 80 years, what the supervisors and specialists love most about working there is how things there are ever changing.

“I get to learn about new fish, I get to learn new things about these fish,” Warmuth said. “I get to try new techniques, like a different way of disinfecting our eggs, just because I ran across it and I was curious and I wanted to see what was happening. We find different techniques to raise them. We’re constantly trying to find better ways to do our work, and it just keeps life from getting boring.”

Next month is the Spire Valley State Fish Hatchery’s fall stocking, with fingerlings set for travel to Grand Marais, Hill City, and Emily and fish set for pick-up and stocking in Park Rapids, Grand Rapids, and Bemidji.