Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Rocky Neck State Park is also closed until further notice due to a brush fire. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery 

Address:  145 Trout Hatchery Road, Plainfield, CT 06374

Hours:  8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (7 days a week)

Tours: Open to the public. Groups interested in tours of the hatchery starting on or after June 1 should call at the phone number below.

Phone: 860-564-7542

The Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery sits on approximately 2,000 acres of state owned land and was constructed in 1971 at a cost of 2.5 million dollars. The water is supplied by 14 wells each of which can produce from 100 to 800 gallons per minute providing the 5,000 gallons per minute necessary for fish production.

Quinebaug Hachert

This state of the art numerical control facility is managed from the control center located in the main office where the operator can observe water quality, monitor well pumps, program feeding systems, program/access alarms and review historical trends of the facility. There is an onsite backup generator that can supply power to the entire complex as necessary. The secure spawning area and the hatch house are managed for disease prevention and monitored for quality assurance.  The photoperiod (length of daylight) of the fish is manipulated for controlled growth patterns as determined by the needs of Fisheries Management efforts.

Current energy upgrades in place or being implemented:

  • Expand motion detector usage

  • High efficiency lighting

  • High efficiency well pumps

  • Liquid oxygen

  • Recirculation system

  • Variable speed drives

The Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery is responsible for the production of the majority of the state’s trout and has four main areas:

  1. The Hatch House is used to incubate and hatch the fish eggs.  When the fish reach 3” in size, they are moved to the intermediate tanks.

  2. Intermediate Tanks consist of 30 circular tanks 20 feet in diameter.  Each tank can hold up to 30,000 3" fish.  The fish remain in these tanks until they are 6-8" in length when they are transferred to the outside grow out tanks.

  3. Grow Out Tanks consist of 40 outside circular tanks 50 feet in diameter.  They are covered by netting to control predatory birds.  Each tank can hold up to 13,000 6-8" fish.  The trout will remain in these tanks until they are ready for stocking.

  4. Brood Stock Raceways consist of 20 raceways 50' long by 6' wide.  Brood stock are the fish that provide the eggs needed for use in the hatch house.

There is an onsite family fishing pond which is frequently stocked with fish. This may be where your child catches their first trout!

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Content last updated in August 2023.