Lex 18 Lexington reported on Thursday that graduate students at Kentucky State University’s (KSU) Aquaculture department rescued over 250 pounds of fish that were stranded at Buffalo Trace Distillery after catastrophic floods plagued the region in early April.
Master’s student Cole Daleiden shared that the rescue mission combined two passions of his: aquatic life and bourbon. Daleiden also gives tours at Buffalo Trace.
“My passion for fisheries and the bourbon industry is unwavering,” Daleiden said to the local news organization.
Daleiden and other Masters students went to the distillery after Buffalo Trace discovered the trapped fish from the Kentucky River during the company’s intensive clean-up process.
The fish apparently traveled over a quarter mile from the river during the flooding.
“Time was of the essence really, the weather was receding in that pond, the temperature was increasing, and the dissolved oxygen was going down,” said Professor Andrew Ray according to the organization. “So these are things we can measure and quantify, and it was getting more risky for the fish. So we had to hop in and get it done.”
One of the species of rescued fish, the Bigmouth Buffalo Fish, possesses an average lifespan of 80 years and is considered to be in decline. According to Professor Ray, the fish “is known for its resilience.”
“Buffalo Trace is our neighbor,” said Ray. “We want to be good neighbors. We want to help out anyway we can. I think everybody at that time around the flooding was kind of worried about their neighbors.”
As for the distillery itself, The Spirits Business reported on Friday that Buffalo Trace completed its clean-up process and accelerated restoration efforts inside buildings damaged from the flood.
“Welcoming visitors back to Buffalo Trace Distillery is more than encouraging, it’s an overwhelming joy we share with fans who visit us,” Sazerac CEO and President Jake Wenz said in a statement according to The Spirits Business. “The support of the community has provided strength to our teams, and I am so proud of our members’ hard work and dedication these past few weeks. As our teams and contractors make essential repairs, we are close to resuming normal operations.”
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