Waynesburg U. serves as cooperative nursery, hosts 800 catfish for release into local waterways

Waynesburg University's Marine Biology Program recently welcomed 800 channel catfish juveniles as part of its Cooperative Nursery Program with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Through this project, the University aids in raising catfish for the Commonwealth and then releases them into local waterways.

"The Cooperative Nursery Program provides a unique opportunity for WU marine biology students to gain hands-on experience working with native fishes, learn aquarium techniques that will aid them later on in their careers and interact with the public in a meaningful way," said Dr. Christian Hayes, director of marine science and assistant professor of biology at Waynesburg University.

Shortly after the arrival of the fish, Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman and Pennsylvania State Senator Camera Bartolotta, along with several of their staff, visited the University's Marine Biology Lab to discuss the University's participation in the Program with Dr. Hayes and their interest in developing a similar nursery of their own in Washington County.

County Commissioner Nick Sherman and PA State Senator Camera Bartolotta and their staff visit Waynesburg's Marine Biology lab.

As part of the Cooperative Nursery Program, students have the opportunity to take over the responsibility of feeding, measuring and monitoring the health of all of the catfish during their stay in the University's Marine Biology Lab.

The catfish are later sent to local elementary, junior and senior high schools participating in the Catfish in the Classroom program, where students care for and later release them. Every April, Waynesburg University students help with the release into local waterways.

"Due to the gracious support of the PA Fish and Boat Commission, who have provided several grants to WU, we have been able to expand the capacity of the nursery to double the number of catfish we can rear and stock in local streams to help promote local fish populations," Dr. Hayes added.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recently awarded another grant to the University for the purpose of updating the filtration equipment in the lab's nursery. With their help, this yearly project can continue to benefit the local community in future years.

Waynesburg University's 3/1 Marine Biology Program offers a combined curriculum toward a Bachelor of Science in marine biology in conjunction with Coastal Carolina University (CCU). Students complete their first three years at Waynesburg and finish their final year of coursework at CCU.