Maryland Department of Natural Resources

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Mettiki Hatchery

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In 2013, Mettiki Coal, LLC and Maryland Fishing and Boating Services renewed their joint cooperative ​​agreement to once again culture trout at Mettiki’s acid mine drainage treatment plant on Table Rock Road in Garrett County. The new advanced hatchery infrastructure was funded and constructed by Mettiki Coal. Fishing and Boating Services outfitted the facility with fish production systems and performs all operational and management tasks. The hatchery was completed in July 2014. 

The project consists of twelve 1,000 gallon circular tanks used for trout grow out culture, and two 210 gallon circular tanks used for hatching trout. Production water is supplied through a 10” water line from the Mettiki Coal treatment plant clarifier.
 

Supply water first passes through a degassing and oxygenation system to remove undesirable dissolved gasses (nitrogen, carbon dioxide) and increase the dissolved oxygen content in the water supply. Water then passes through an ultraviolet disinfection system before entering the culture building.

The Mettiki Hatchery purchases 25,000 trout eggs every December 
and June for their appropriate production cycle. From these hatches, Mettiki Hatchery personnel produce and stock approximately 20,000 adult rainbow trout during the spring “Put and Take” stocking season, as well as 15,000 adult rainbow trout during the fall stocking program. Approximately 15,000 surplus fingerling are stocked as “Put and Grow” production into designated streams in western Maryland. An additional 10% of the trout are cultured to trophy size to provide anglers the opportunity to catch some spectacular fish.







 

The facility’s location has ample room to expand in the future to provide additional trout for area streams. 

 

For more information concerning Mettiki Hatchery, contact Mark Harman​ at 301-746-8148