New York officials released a long-awaited plan to protect Adirondack brook trout ponds for the next 15 years.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the final Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan on Jan. 5. It marks the first major update to the plan in nearly 50 years.
Why the plan matters
State officials say the plan lays out how DEC will manage pond-dwelling brook trout, a rare fish found in significant numbers only in New York and Maine. The brook trout is also New York’s state fish.
DEC said the plan responds to major changes since the original strategy was adopted 46 years ago. Officials pointed to habitat loss, invasive fish species, and climate change as growing threats.
Guided by science and public input
DEC developed the plan after reviewing decades of fisheries data and gathering public feedback. The process included three information sessions, a focus group with sportsmen and conservation groups, and a 45-day public comment period…