The Freshwater Fisheries and Hatcheries Division operates warm-water hatcheries producing numerous species for projects including corrective stocking in state waterways, tidal largemouth bass enhancement, and children’s fishing rodeos. It also maintains captive populations of sub-adult and adult fish to serve as brood stock for future generations.
The Division is actively engaged in conservation and restoration efforts, most notably the Atlantic sturgeon conservation project and the reintroduction of American and hickory shad into the Choptank and Patapsco rivers. These rivers are central to restoration efforts, with the program having stocked 1.8 million American shad and 513,000 hickory shad into these rivers in 2024 alone.
Beyond the shad restoration, the division stocks a range of species to boost fish populations and fishing opportunities statewide. These include:
