In 1868, Samuel Wilmot opened Ontario's first full-scale fish hatchery in the village of Newcastle, near Toronto. The hatchery focused on raising Atlantic salmon and trout for restocking the province's rivers and lakes, which had been depleted by overfishing and habitat loss. Wilmot's experiments in artificial propagation were among the first in North America and helped establish the principles of modern fish culture. The hatchery became a model for similar facilities across Canada and the United States.

Wilmot's hatchery was featured in Canadian nature writing and poetry, where it was seen as a symbol of environmental stewardship. Writers like Charles G.D. Roberts and Archibald Lampman referenced fish hatcheries in their poems, celebrating the restoration of natural resources. The hatchery also appears in the travelogues of the period, describing the wonders of artificial fish propagation.