The trust would retain control of the Riverstone Select name and the relevant breeding records, then grant a defined license for the verified lines we could responsibly maintain. Title to specific fish would transfer or be assigned to the operation under a detailed inventory schedule, and the trust would receive an agreed royalty on sales of certified stock. If we failed to meet recordkeeping, health, or welfare standards, the license could be suspended rather than letting a valuable program deteriorate under an attractive sign.
That arrangement suited me. I did not want to spend my remaining years pretending the first man with a truck could claim ownership of whatever he unloaded. I wanted an agreement that made sense when somebody other than me had to read it. Daniel went through every clause, including the boring ones about termination and responsibility for losses, and I signed only after Mara confirmed the technical obligations were realistic.
The company name took longer to settle than the agreement. Ethan wanted something with the word mountain in it, while Claire thought that sounded like every vacation rental within fifty miles. Martin suggested keeping Riverstone in the operating name because the program had a history worth protecting. In the end we registered Hayes Riverstone Aquatics, a name plain enough for an invoice and meaningful enough that Martin smiled when he saw it.
We drew up a budget that made Tom's revenue projection look less like a gift and more like a challenge. The barn needed repairs, the electrical service had to be upgraded, and the temporary aeration equipment was not sufficient for long-term production. We needed controlled holding tanks, reliable backup power, appropriate drainage, water-testing instruments, insurance, a transport arrangement, and a place to keep records where they wouldn't be ruined by a spilled cup of coffee.
The initial capital requirement was larger than the amount I could comfortably write a check for. We arranged a modest agricultural business loan based on a plan the lender reviewed carefully, used part of the documented settlement reimbursement for remediation costs, and accepted a limited equipment contribution from the trust for the conservation side of the project. I made sure the debt would not put the house or the entire ranch at unnecessary risk if the fish business failed.
"You're not twenty-eight anymore," Claire told me while we discussed financing.
"Thank you for the reminder. I had nearly forgotten."
"I mean you don't have to gamble your home to prove you can still build something."
I looked at her across the table. "I'm not building it to prove anything. I'm building it because the work makes sense, and because I think Ethan might want something to learn from. But you're right about the home. The home stays safe."
She smiled and reached for the contract. "Then show me the insurance section again."
The permitting process was slow enough to discourage anybody looking for quick money. We submitted water-management plans, fish-health protocols, site drawings, and transport procedures, then revised them when inspectors found details that needed improvement. One reviewer wanted a clearer plan for overflow during heavy storms. Another asked how we would prevent escape into the natural watershed, so Mara and Tom redesigned the screening and containment approach before work began.