BREVARD, N.C. (828newsNOW) — North Carolina’s largest trout hatchery, the Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery near Brevard, is empty of fish for the first time in more than 40 years as it undergoes a $50 million renovation. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission says the facility, which supplies most of the trout for the state’s stocking program, will remain closed to production during the renovation.
To minimize impacts on anglers, NCWRC has transferred all remaining fish from Setzer, including broodstock and fish scheduled for 2026 stocking, to Armstrong State Fish Hatchery and the newly acquired Glady Fork Fish Hatchery in Transylvania County. The agency has also purchased trout from private hatcheries to supplement production while Setzer is offline.
“To mitigate the reductions in agency production, we are purchasing some trout from the private sector to supplement our agency stocking,” NCWRC Inland Fisheries Hatchery Production Supervisor David Deaton said in a news release. “Glady Fork provides additional production and fish-holding capacity to help offset reductions during the Setzer renovation.”
Stocking schedules have also been adjusted, with trout now concentrated in the spring and fall to maintain the core of the Public Mountain Trout Waters program. The program typically stocks about 1 million trout annually, supporting $1.38 billion in economic activity for the state.
Demolition at Setzer Hatchery is set to begin within the next few weeks. When complete, the facility will feature state-of-the-art raceways, flood-resilient mechanisms, improved filtering systems, and covered raceways to reduce water temperatures. These upgrades are expected to enhance fish health, water quality, and sustainability in the Davidson River.
Operating since the late 1950s, Setzer is the backbone of North Carolina’s trout stocking program. NCWRC projects the hatchery will resume full production by late 2028, allowing enough time for eggs to grow to stockable size.
For updates on the Setzer Hatchery renovation, click here.