Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a unique educational experience for students. Throughout this year-long program, students learn about Minnesota watershed ecology, fish biology, trout habitat, and more, starting the very first week of school. They engage in TIC-related lessons both inside and outside the classroom from September through May. The culmination of this learning is a spring field day. On this day, they get to release the trout they worked hard to raise all year – a special privilege specific to TIC schools.

In Minnesota, teachers can catch and raise native fish in classroom tanks for learning purposes with a MN-DNR permit. However, that permit specifies that they may NOT release those fish, even into the same body of water where they were caught. TIC students not only get to release their fish at the end of the year, but they also have the opportunity to observe and care for them through four different life cycle stages: eggs, alevin, swim-up fry, and fingerlings.

Every year, TIC teachers sign a permit with the MN-DNR acknowledging they have read, understood, and will abide by the rules. I review it with them and expect that they are also discussing it with their students. Some of these rules are listed below. The full permit is linked here for those interested in reviewing it more fully.

Aquarium specifications and fish husbandry: Aquaria setups for housing fish and rearing conditions must adhere to the following parameters:

• Fish tanks must be no larger than 150 gallons.
• Systems must be recirculating (no flow-through systems may be used).
• Systems may not contain or share water, bio-filters, dip nets, or other equipment with fish not indicated in this permit.
• Water used to fill and top off systems must come from municipal or well water sources, not from surface waters such as lakes, springs, or ponds.
• Water removed for water changes and following the dismantling of a system must be disposed of by pouring it down a drain leading to a municipal sewer.
• Live feed may not be used (commercially produced frozen bloodworms/brine shrimp may be used as a supplementary food source).
• Substrate (e.g., gravel or sand) must not be collected from any waterbodies; any gravel or stones should be 8mm or larger to prevent ingestion by fingerling fish.
• Aquatic plants may not be used in aquaria (though aquaponics systems planted with terrestrial plants such as vegetables and houseplants may be used).
• Invertebrates such as mystery snails, freshwater mussels, shrimp, or crayfish may not be used in aquaria.

Fish mortality and disease testing:

• During the course of fish rearing, a log of mortalities must be updated each week.
• For tanks with more than 60% cumulative mortality during the rearing period, fish must be submitted to the MN-DNR fish health lab prior to release.
• Classes with other fish displays (ornamental fish, native fish, aquaponics systems) must submit TIC fish for disease testing.
• Disease testing must be completed prior to the release of fish into Minnesota waters.
• Fish from tanks with more than 85% cumulative mortality may not be released into waters in Minnesota, and remaining fish must be submitted to the MN-DNR fish health lab.
• Mortality logs must be submitted to the TU educational program supervisor and MN-DNR Fisheries as part of the required year-end report.

These tank parameters and disease testing requirements, in addition to specifically assigned release sites, ensure that the release of our TIC trout will not negatively impact the local watershed. Release sites are chosen based on proximity to the school, accessibility, and locations where rainbow trout are already being released.

There are already significant issues with people releasing fish unauthorized, as we have seen in many metro area lakes that are now full of goldfish. It is important that students, teachers, and their families understand that releasing their trout is only allowed because they have express permission from the DNR.