HHOA welcomes new hatchery manager

The Haliburton Highlands Outdoor Association (HHOA) has announced that David Poirier has volunteered to manage the fish hatchery.

Poirier takes over for Randy Charter, who oversaw hatchery operations the last seven years.

“I’ve been vacationing in the Haliburton area for 30 years and I’ve always admired the HHOA’s work,” Poirier said. “I’m thrilled to continue Randy’s outstanding work and look forward to helping the HHOA enhance its efforts to improve Haliburton area fisheries.”

Poirier recently retired from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, where he spent 32 years as a scientist in aquatic toxicology. While there, he ran a fish culture laboratory that reared 25,000 rainbow trout every year. He has a BSc in marine biology, specializing in fish culturing, and a MSc in environmental biology from the University of Guelph.

“David brings an extremely high level of expertise to the hatchery, said HHOA president Dan Smith. “We are very excited to have David with us as we explore new ways to improve and expand our operations.” Poirier and his wife Linda recently purchased a property near Salerno Lake where they are building their retirement home. The couple have three boys ranging in age from 23 to 31. (Lisa Gervais).