12/01/2006 - A school in Winchester is set to be the first in Hampshire to rear trout in the classroom. The Environment Agency is working with the Jet Set Club, Sparsholt College and the Wild Trout Trust, to bring the ‘Trout in the Classroom’ project to youngsters from St Bede Church of England Primary School in Winchester.

The children will be introduced to the underwater world of brown trout on Friday 13 January 2006 when the eggs will arrive at the school. The eggs will start hatching from next week and the children will then stock them into the River Itchen in March 2006.

The ‘Trout in the Classroom’ project will provide the children at St Bede Primary School with an opportunity to learn about wild brown trout. It will give them insight into the lifecycle of the fish and the importance of clear, fast flowing water, clean spawning gravel and good habitat.

Lawrence Talks, Environment Agency Fisheries Development Manager, said:

“Hatching trout in the classroom is a hands-on activity that will capture the children’s imaginations and will encourage them to be interested in the local environment. It will help them understand the problems facing wildlife and what can be done to resolve these. This project will help the children in many of their curriculum subjects and will also teach them about our river and wetland wildlife and the need to care for the environment.

“By enthusing youngsters today we give brown trout and other wetland wildlife a better chance for tomorrow.”