Neosho National Fish Hatchery
Encyclopedia
The Neosho National Fish Hatchery is the oldest federal fish hatchery
in operation today. It is one of 69 fish hatcheries operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It was established in 1888.
, located in the Ozark Mountain
region of southwest Missouri
, was chosen for the hatchery site because of access to spring water and the railroad. Land for the fish hatchery was purchased from Lemuel B. and Mary A. Hearrell for $2,472. The first source of water for the hatchery, Hearrell Spring, was purchased from the Hearrell's for $1 and provided 300 gallons per minute water flow. By 1890, the fish hatchery was a productive fish station raising seven species of warm and cold water fish. In 1907, McMahon Spring was added to increase the hatchery water supply to 1,000 gallons per minute.
A rehabilitation program was undertaken at the fish hatchery in 1961. A new, modern, tile and brick hatchery building replaced the 1890 hatching house. All trout rearing facilities were removed and replaced with 12 concrete raceways. The title was obtained for 244 acre (0.98743384 km²) of land on the Fort Crowder
Military Reservation near Neosho upon which Elm and Bartholic Springs are located. This provided an additional 500 gallons per minute to the hatchery's water supply.
Over 130 species of cold, cool, and warm water fish have been produced at the Neosho NFH since it was established. The current focus is on paddlefish
and lake sturgeon
restoration, pallid sturgeon
recovery, production of rainbow trout
for mitigation, and native mussel
propagation.
The staff at the Neosho Fish Hatchery also protect the endangered Ozark cavefish
in one of the springs that supplies the hatchery with water. In 1989, staff discovered Ozark cavefish
using the spring. In 2002 efforts were taken to protect the area surrounding.
The hatchery water supply is from four gravity flow underground springs, located up to four miles (6 km) from the hatchery. The 1,500 hundred gallons per minute of 54 to 64 degree, high quality water allows hatchery staff to produce up to 90,000 pounds of fish annually and to rear several species of imperiled fish and other aquatic species.
National Fish Hatchery System
The National Fish Hatchery System was established by the U.S. Congress in 1871 through the creation of a U.S. Commissioner for Fish and Fisheries. This system of fish hatcheries is now administered by the Fisheries Program of the U.S...
in operation today. It is one of 69 fish hatcheries operated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It was established in 1888.
History
NeoshoNeosho, Missouri
Neosho is the most populous city in and the county seat of Newton County, Missouri, United States. Neosho is an integral part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, located in the Ozark Mountain
The Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
region of southwest Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, was chosen for the hatchery site because of access to spring water and the railroad. Land for the fish hatchery was purchased from Lemuel B. and Mary A. Hearrell for $2,472. The first source of water for the hatchery, Hearrell Spring, was purchased from the Hearrell's for $1 and provided 300 gallons per minute water flow. By 1890, the fish hatchery was a productive fish station raising seven species of warm and cold water fish. In 1907, McMahon Spring was added to increase the hatchery water supply to 1,000 gallons per minute.
A rehabilitation program was undertaken at the fish hatchery in 1961. A new, modern, tile and brick hatchery building replaced the 1890 hatching house. All trout rearing facilities were removed and replaced with 12 concrete raceways. The title was obtained for 244 acre (0.98743384 km²) of land on the Fort Crowder
Fort Crowder
Fort Crowder was a U.S. Army post in southwest Missouri, constructed and used during World War II.-Establishment and Purpose:Originally established as Camp Crowder south of Neosho, Missouri in 1941, the post was to serve as an armor training center. The U.S. Army selected the Neosho site for the...
Military Reservation near Neosho upon which Elm and Bartholic Springs are located. This provided an additional 500 gallons per minute to the hatchery's water supply.
Role of Fish Hatcheries in Conservation
The US Fish and Wildlife Service operates fish hatcheries throughout the United States. These hatcheries are a significant part of fisheries conservation and restoration efforts by producing and releasing rare, endangered and other fish back into America’s lakes and rivers. Some of these hatcheries also help mitigate the loss of fishing from the large federal dams built in the last century.Over 130 species of cold, cool, and warm water fish have been produced at the Neosho NFH since it was established. The current focus is on paddlefish
Paddlefish
Paddlefish are primitive Chondrostean ray-finned fishes. The paddlefish can be distinguished by its large mouth and its elongated, spatula-like snout, called a rostrum, which is longer than the rest of the head...
and lake sturgeon
Lake sturgeon
The lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
restoration, pallid sturgeon
Pallid sturgeon
The pallid sturgeon is an endangered species of ray-finned fish, endemic to the waters of the Missouri and lower Mississippi River basins of the United States...
recovery, production of rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
for mitigation, and native mussel
Mussel
The common name mussel is used for members of several families of clams or bivalvia mollusca, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which are often more or less rounded or oval.The...
propagation.
The staff at the Neosho Fish Hatchery also protect the endangered Ozark cavefish
Ozark Cavefish
The Ozark cavefish, Amblyopsis rosae, is a small subterranean freshwater fish native to the United States. It has been listed as a threatened species in the United States since 1984, the IUCN lists the species as vulnerable. While the Ozark cavefish is listed as threatened by the U.S...
in one of the springs that supplies the hatchery with water. In 1989, staff discovered Ozark cavefish
Ozark Cavefish
The Ozark cavefish, Amblyopsis rosae, is a small subterranean freshwater fish native to the United States. It has been listed as a threatened species in the United States since 1984, the IUCN lists the species as vulnerable. While the Ozark cavefish is listed as threatened by the U.S...
using the spring. In 2002 efforts were taken to protect the area surrounding.
The hatchery water supply is from four gravity flow underground springs, located up to four miles (6 km) from the hatchery. The 1,500 hundred gallons per minute of 54 to 64 degree, high quality water allows hatchery staff to produce up to 90,000 pounds of fish annually and to rear several species of imperiled fish and other aquatic species.
Current programs
- Recovery efforts for endangered pallid sturgeonPallid sturgeonThe pallid sturgeon is an endangered species of ray-finned fish, endemic to the waters of the Missouri and lower Mississippi River basins of the United States...
- Protection for endangered Ozark cavefishOzark CavefishThe Ozark cavefish, Amblyopsis rosae, is a small subterranean freshwater fish native to the United States. It has been listed as a threatened species in the United States since 1984, the IUCN lists the species as vulnerable. While the Ozark cavefish is listed as threatened by the U.S...
- Recovery efforts for threatened or endangered native mussels
- Restoration efforts for candidate species, lake sturgeonLake sturgeonThe lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
- Restoration efforts for candidate species, paddlefishPaddlefishPaddlefish are primitive Chondrostean ray-finned fishes. The paddlefish can be distinguished by its large mouth and its elongated, spatula-like snout, called a rostrum, which is longer than the rest of the head...
- Mandated mitigation of rainbow trout for Lake TaneycomoLake TaneycomoLake Taneycomo is a man-made lake or reservoir on the White River in the Ozark Mountains of Taney County, Missouri. The reservoir is named for the county in which it is located: Taney County, MO....
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It... - Outreach and educational opportunities for public through guided hatchery tours and offsight presentations