SENECAVILLE, Ohio – Senecaville State Fish Hatchery is closed to the public beginning June 26 while improvement projects are ongoing, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Planned improvements include installing new water supply lines from Seneca Lake to the hatchery, renovating fish production ponds and upgrading the fish holding house. The hatchery will remain operational for fish production. Improvements are expected to be completed by the fall of 2023, at which time the hatchery will re-open to the public.
Senecaville State Fish Hatchery is in southern Guernsey County, below the Seneca Lake dam, at 57199 Seneca Dam Rd., Senecaville, Ohio 43780. The hatchery lies on more than 120 acres of land. It was constructed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1938 and transferred to the Division of Wildlife in 1987. The most recent hatchery renovations were in 1995.
Senecaville State Fish Hatchery has 37 ponds and 16 indoor rearing troughs. Water is supplied to the hatchery by Seneca Lake. This water supply allows the hatchery to raise saugeye, walleye, hybrid-striped bass, and channel catfish. Saugeye, walleye, and hybrid-striped bass production begins in the spring. Channel catfish production occurs in the summer, using breeding adults kept at the hatchery year-round.