About Us
The Cronin Aquatic Resource Center is part of the National Fish Hatchery System - a network of fish hatcheries, fish health centers, fish technology centers, and the Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership program. Together they provide services that help us manage aquatic resources, protect the health of our wild and hatchery-raised fish, and recover threatened and endangered species. The unparalleled conservation efforts of this system not only enhance aquatic species and their habitats, but also improve fishing opportunities for our Nation’s 58 million recreational anglers.
Our Mission
Aquatic Resource Centers play a leading role in guiding the science and technology that is foundational to species and habitat conservation in the United States, including assisting with the recovery of endangered, threatened, and declining fish stocks, and improving fish hatchery culture technology and culture protocols.
The former Richard Cronin National Salmon Station - now called the Cronin Aquatic Resource Center (CARC) - was given a new mission in 2016 to be an aquatic resource center for conservation, discovery, and education. Originally built as a state trout hatchery over 60 years ago, the hatchery had been culturing Atlantic Salmon for restoration in the Connecticut River basin since the early 1980s until 2013. Under it's new mission, the CARC is taking special advantage of nearby academic institutions and other partners to foster collaborative studies encompassing a broad range of aquatic issues, such as the restoration of freshwater mussels and their habitats. The Center also places a strong emphasis on developing young professionals, and providing sound science to help protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.
Our History
The Cronin Aquatic Resource Center was originally named the Sunderland State Fish Hatchery and was established by the then Massachusetts Commissioners on Fisheries and Game, as part of their plan for producing artificially hatched trout. The Sunderland State Hatchery reared trout for 30 years prior to being acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
After being acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the facilities new mission was acting as a salmon station and hatchery for Atlantic Salmon. For 30 years the center served an important role in Atlantic Salmon conservation efforts. The hatchery’s salmon mission ended following a decision in 2012 to end federal salmon restoration efforts in the Connecticut River Basin, because of reduced federal budgets and limited results.
The building was “winterized” pending a new mission, and the last remaining salmon eggs were given to the State of Connecticut in December 2013, according to a 2014 news release issued by U.S. Fish and Wildlife. In 2016, the facility was given its new mission.
Freshwater mussels, also known as freshwater clams, are filter feeders that keep fresh water clean. To bolster populations, researchers have worked to find optimal environmental conditions for the mussels, such as water temperature, feeding requirements, and host fish identification, which Perkins said juvenile mussels need in order to survive.
The research being conducted at the Cronin Aquatic Research Center is the first of its kind in the Northeast.