UWEP Training at Pequest NREC

Yes! It was time to learn how to fish at Pequest Trout Hatchery & Education Center in Oxford, NJ (Warren County). The Urban Watershed Education Program (UWEP), a Hackensack Riverkeeper program, helps students in urban areas connect with the environment. Several student groups will have a classroom day learning about climate change and non-point source pollution, a fishing day learning how to fish and why our estuaries are critical, and a water testing day learning water chemistry and getting on a pontoon boat. 

Participating Watershed Ambassadors learned how to teach each water chemistry test including dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphates, nitrates, pH, turbidity, and salinity. Once we had a handle of the kits, we learned about types of fish in the Newark Bay estuary system including the tidal portions of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers as well as their characteristics and important notes. 

Various fish and crustacean species are contaminated with PCBs and dioxins stemming from Agent Orange dumping from the Diamond Alkali Company during the Vietnam War. There are over 70 responsible parties (RPs) who have caused major chemical pollution of the Newark Bay Complex. If you would like to learn more about fish advisories and the history of pollution in the Newark Bay, click here.

After getting a better understanding of the environmental situation, we went out to the Education Pond to learn how to fish. Overall, a very successful day of fishing for many of us-- I caught 7 Rainbow Trout! It seemed like the Rainbows were the only ones biting, but the Education Pond is stocked with Brook and Brown Trouts, as well.

Eric (WMA 10) and Chris (WMA 5) patiently waiting

Ambassadors and Jodi from HRK casting out!

Jon Dugan (WMA 7) and Steve (WMA 14), our resident fishermen!

Me with my largest catch of the day!

It was my first time fishing EVER, and I really did have a ton of fun. I definitely want to continue my fishing adventures and share with the UWEP students how a city girl like me is not too different from them!