The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) celebrated a significant milestone on Wednesday as Chairman Bobby Martin unveiled the newly remodeled Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery. The hatchery, Arkansas’s sole state-owned cold water hatchery, underwent extensive renovations to enhance its infrastructure and increase trout production. The event marked the “ribbon-cutting” ceremony for the hatchery, which supplies rainbow trout to 43 locations across the state, including renowned fishing destinations such as the White, Norfork, and Spring rivers.
Originally constructed in 1974 and donated to the AGFC by the Kroger Company in 1985, the Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery plays a vital role in maintaining the trout population in Arkansas. The hatchery draws cold water from the Spring River, incubates eggs supplied through federal trout hatcheries, and nurtures the trout until they reach a stocking size of approximately 12 inches. The entire process, from egg to stocking-size fish, typically takes 16 to 18 months.
Over the years, the hatchery’s infrastructure had deteriorated, leading to a decline in trout production. B.J. Vandiver, hatchery manager for the AGFC, stated, “at its peak, the hatchery was able to supply more than 1 million rainbow trout per year, but it’s been a long time since we have reached those production numbers.” To address these challenges, the AGFC embarked on a renovation project to modernize the hatchery’s facilities.
A major aspect of the renovation involved replacing the aging metal silos which were no longer suitable for trout production. Vandiver explained, “They were over 50 years old and had deteriorated to the point that the walls were only half as thick as they should have been. When you pulled water out of them, the walls were beginning to bulge and became a safety hazard for anyone who had to work in them to transfer trout to trucks.”
The outdated metal structures were replaced with 24 concrete silos, each with a diameter of 28 feet and a depth of 7 feet. The new silos offer the same capacity as their predecessors but provide enhanced safety and efficiency. The addition of drains at the bottom of each silo allows for easier water evacuation, improving cleanliness and biosecurity measures. Vandiver added, “These are much easier to drain and clean. They also will be much easier to harvest fish from when they are ready.”
Chairman Martin expressed his gratitude to the trout anglers who advocated for an increase in Arkansas’s trout stamp, which played a pivotal role in funding the renovation. Martin acknowledged the efforts of the trout industry, the state legislature, and the fishing community, stating, “Aging infrastructure is a challenge, but when it comes to this hatchery, we’ve been so very fortunate to be able to work with the trout industry, with our legislature, and with our fishing public to be able to increase the cost of trout permits and make this possible.”
While a few finishing touches are still pending, Vandiver anticipates that the hatchery will soon resume trout production levels not seen in over a decade. The expanded space will also allow AGFC staff to explore new techniques to increase production and efficiency. The increased capacity will enable fish to be raised at lower densities, potentially enhancing growth rates and reducing rotation time or allowing the hatchery to produce slightly larger fish before stocking.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI