Boston Students Help Stock Fish In Annual 'Rite Of Spring'

BOSTON (CBS) - Some Boston students Thursday had the opportunity to participate in an annual "rite of spring."

The fish stocking at Jamaica Pond is part of an annual program by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Students from the Curley School, state wildlife officials, and Governor Charlie Baker were on hand to throw over 1,000 trout into the lake.

George Peterson is the state's Fish and Game Commissioner and he says the pond is going to be well-stocked.

"We have probably about a 1,000 fish to put in between the two trucks. There are some really beautiful fish," Peterson said.

Governor Charlie Baker was at the event and he got into the act by wading into the pond.

"We're going to try to make this a statement that spring is here even if it's not. Certainly for the kids and for everyone else, it's a great way to say the snow is gone, the sun is out, and spring  has begun," Baker said.

The state raises and releases half a million trout every year from fisheries in Belchertown, Montague, Sandwich, Palmer, and Sunderland.