Windsor Central High School senior Tanner Krom is an aspiring Department of Environmental Conservation officer and just finished a project that will set him up well for his future career.

On April 24, Krom released 65 brook trout into the Occanum Creek, helping to restock the creek with fish Krom raised since they hatched.

“I started with them as eggs. I hatched them and watched them develop from coming out of the egg with the yolk sac attached. Raised them from ½ inch to some who are now four inches,” said Krom.

Krom raised the trout as part of Broome County Trout Unlimited’s Trout in the Classroom program. The group provided Krom 113 eggs which he raised in the WCHS Ag area.

“I started off feeding them about four weeks in with a size 0 crumble, fine pellets. I’d sprinkle that into the tank. We had an egg basket in the tank. I had them in the egg basket for about six weeks before releasing them into the tank – you leave one end slightly tilted so that the strongest ones can swim out while the weaker ones have more time to develop strength,” said Krom.

“We’ve never had 65 trout that survived to be released and I’ve done this several times in my teaching career,” said WCHS ag teacher Tina Miner-James. “It’s 100 percent because of Tanner’s efforts. He was even in over Christmas break taking care of the trout. He never missed a chance to be in here when he should. He even gave Mrs. Swingle and me specific instructions on how to care for them.”

Krom will attend SUNY Broome in the fall to major in Environmental Science. He goes knowing he’s already made an impact on local wildlife.

“In Occanum Creek, the management of wildlife is important. Every year, hundreds of thousands of trout are released into streams, rivers, and lakes for people to enjoy and catch. It gives stability to the environment and ecosystem and gives enjoyment to fishermen and kids to catch them,” said Krom.