CELINA-Clay County residents Paige Rich, Jasmine Smith, Jordan Melton, and Ryan Blakley spent this summer working at the Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery as Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) enrollees.

All the workers went on a trip to Wolf Creek Dam.

The three objectives of the YCC program are to accomplish needed conservation work on public lands, provide gainful summer employment to youth for approximately eight weeks, and develop an understanding and appreciation in participating youth of the Nation’s natural environment and heritage.

Paige, Jasmine, Jordan, and Ryan helped the hatchery staff with feeding fish, collecting and counting dead fish, cleaning raceways, moving fish around the hatchery, distributing fish to local waters, performing janitorial work, maintaining the public fishing area, and carrying out grounds maintenance.  The enrollees also got the chance to help Fish Biologists from the Fish Health Center in Warm Springs (GA) perform the annual fish health inspection.  The hatchery staff really appreciated the extra help.

The program also has an environmental education facet which included a tour of the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery Visitor/Environmental Education Center. Should funding be available next year, the hatchery will be soliciting applications from Clay County students in the spring. We anticipate being able to hire two boys and two girls. Applicants need to be 15 through 18 years of age and are chosen at random.

Jasmine Smith performs fish health inspection. (Photos submitted)

Jordan Melton cleans the fish tanks.

Paige Rich buffs the floors inside the hatchery.

Ryan Blakely feeds the fish.