Stocking provides the opportunity for anglers to catch a trout, in a stream that would normally not allow them to reproduce on their own. Chances are there is a hatchery-supported trout stream only minutes from your home. Riparian buffers Habitat protection and enhancement play an important support role in fisheries management. A focal point for protecting and enhancing aquatic habitats is riparian buffers. A riparian buffer is a zone of trees and vegetation between water and an upland area.
Riparian buffers are important to the health of a stream.
They shade the water, stabilize banks and intercept surface runoff. Studies show that water temperature is 10 degrees cooler in streams that are lined with buffers. They purify runoff by trapping sediment, fertilizers and pollution. They even provide food in the form of leaf litter for aquatic insects. The insects in turn are food for forage fish and trout.