The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources plans to close the Brule State Fish Hatchery after the 2026 stocking season, despite unanimous legislative approval earlier this year to keep the facility open.
Sen. Romaine Quinn, R-Birchwood, learned of the closure plans through media reports, according to a story first reported by Dryden Wire. In May, the Joint Committee on Finance approved Quinn’s motion to continue operations at the hatchery and restore cuts to walleye, musky, and trout stocking. The motion included $1.393 million for fish stocking and culture, along with additional funding for habitat management and monitoring.
Quinn criticized the DNR for failing to communicate how it planned to use the increased spending. “Today I learned through the media that the DNR is defying bipartisan action in the legislature to continue operations at the Brule Fish Hatchery,” he said. “I have waited weeks for a response from the department on how they planned to allocate the spending increases, only to find out in the news that they are defying the legislature entirely. This lack of communication is wildly unacceptable.”
The DNR cited budget constraints in its Fisheries Management program, insufficient staffing funds, and the aging condition of the Brule facility as reasons for the closure. The agency said it would concentrate production at other hatcheries to reduce overhead and maximize overall stocking. Production of brown trout for Lake Superior and Lake Michigan will shift to the Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery.
Quinn called the decision a failure of leadership by DNR Secretary Karen Hyun and Gov. Tony Evers. “The approved funding was meant to ensure that the department had the resources it asked for to do what they said they were going to do,” he said. “If this is how the department plans to operate under Secretary Hyun, she should start looking for a new job this January.”
The closure comes amid broader fiscal pressures on the DNR’s fish and wildlife account, which faces an estimated $16 million shortfall. Flat hunting and fishing license fees since 2005, combined with rising costs and declining sales, have strained the program. Fisheries management spending has risen 27 percent since 2017-18, yet overall fish stocking has declined by 1.3 million fish during the same period. The DNR has shifted funds toward its parks subprogram while reducing spending in fisheries and wildlife areas.
Anglers and fishing groups have called the hatchery closures and associated stocking cuts a significant mistake. The Brule hatchery typically rears around 160,000 brown trout annually. Its closure forces earlier releases from other facilities and limits flexibility tied to natural spawning cycles. Wisconsin’s fishing industry contributes roughly $1 billion annually to the state economy.
The DNR has said it will proceed with the shutdown after completing 2026 stocking, citing ongoing structural and safety concerns at the nearly century-old facility.
