The high protein diet is composed of animal and vegetable meals and oils plus vitamin and mineral supplements. It is fed as dry granules or pellets. When the fish are ready for stocking, they are sample counted to determine the number of fish per pound. A predetermined weight of fish, representing the required number to be stocked, is loaded into a mechanical fish conveyor which moves the trout from the raceway or pond into an awaiting delivery truck. The trucks are specially designed to maintain cold water temperatures.
Pure oxygen is injected into the holding tanks and mixed with the water by electric pumps.
This insures that trout reach their destination in a vigorous and healthy condition. This marked the beginning of a highly successful and continuous trout rearing operation. The Alchesay National Fish Hatchery was authorized in 1959 and named for the famous Apache chief, Alchesay. It began rainbow trout production in 1963. Alchesay was designed to fulfill a federal responsibility for stocking waters on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, San Carlos Indian Reservation, and other federally managed waters in Arizona.