Fishy Assets: Trout Farm Workers Try to Capture Escaped Fish

Speaking of strange loss prevention programs. A trout farm in Lebanon County, Penn., was trying to round up escaped fish that slipped out during this month’s flooding. Wetsuit-clad workers for Limestone Springs Preserve in Richland spent part of September 21 baiting nearby waters. As trout took the bait, the employees netted them and returned the escapees to the trout-farm’s 19th century limestone quarry waters. The preserve is asking the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to set up a no fishing zone until they can get all the fish back. The lost trout could be worth up to $400,000. As workers scramble to catch the fish, they face another obstacle, other fishermen. Some anglers have lined up along creek and stream banks in their own bid to hook the escaped fish. Limestone earns its money by charging fisherman to fish in their private preserve, as well as selling some trout for stocking and some as food.