Tyler Swanson

Personal and professional.

Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited’s Mission

Trout Unlimited is a national non-profit organization dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. TU works to ensure that future generations can enjoy the joy of wild and native trout and salmon fishing. While Trout Unlimited leans towards appealing to fly anglers, it is inclusive of all types of anglers and even those who do not have a passion or fishing, but are looking to give back to the community and preserve a vital part of nature.

Trout Unlimited is dedicated to:

  • Improving water quality, reconnect fragmented habitats, and restore degraded areas
  • Advocating for sound fishery management by working with policymakers to ensure that laws and regulations protect and enhance fisheries
  • Educating the public by providing information and resources to help people understand the importance of healthy rivers and streams
  • Engaging volunteers and creating a network of volunteers who contribute to conservation efforts at the local level

My Role in Trout Unlimited

I am a member of the board of Trout Unlimited’s NYC Chapter (chapter 447). While New York City does not have its own dedicated watershed and might not seem like a hotspot for trout fishing, our chapter is still hard at work protecting local waterways, organizing community events, and educating others on benefits of healthy fisheries and landscapes.

Trout Unlimited in NYC has a goal of connecting with NYC’s youth through a number of program’s, primarily its Trout in the Classroom initiative, which I assist. Trout in the Classroom partners with local NYC schools to bring fish tanks to classrooms and support teachers and students in raising young trout. Students get to experience the lifecycle of salmonids, watch these beautiful creatures grow, and then ultimately be a part of releasing these healthy fish into watersheds in the NYC area.

Trout Unlimited also hosts casting lessons in the parks of NYC, organizes trips to plant trees in rural areas of NY, raises funds to give back to the community, provides opportunities for under represented groups to bond over the sport of fly fishing, and conducts many more great initiatives for anyone looking to get involved and meet new faces.