UA Pine Bluff Aquaculture Fisheries Center

Exciting progress at the dept. of Aquaculture and Fisheries!

We have successfully kick-started our catfish breeding program, led by Dr. Sujan Bhattarai and his team.

The newly bred catfish fry will be utilized in our semi-intensive culture ponds, where they will be raised using innovative feeding strategies.

A key feature of this initiative is the use of low cost sustainable backyard-cultured live feeds, which will be compared with conventional particle diets to evaluate growth performance, feed efficiency, and overall fish health.

This approach aims to identify cost-effective and environmentally friendly feeding practices that can benefit fish farmers and strengthen local aquaculture.

Congratulations to our outstanding students, Ram Babu Kurapati and Zack McGowan from the dept. of Aquaculture and Fisheries, for their achievements at the 11th Annual Arkansas Bioinformatics Consortium (AR-BIC) Conference, held May 18–19, 2026, in Arkansas.

We are proud to share that Ram Babu Kurapati received 1st Place and Zack McGowan received 3rd Place in the Graduate-Level Poster Presentation Competition.

Please join us in congratulating Ram Babu and Zack on this well-deserved recognition.

UAPB Students Honored at the World Aquaculture Society Meeting

Samuel García-Vázquez, a Ph.D. student at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, is conducting aquaculture research to improve production techniques for commercial sunshine bass. His research, titled "The Development of Triploidy Induction Methods for Sunshine Bass Production in Commercial Aquaculture," aims to develop reliable and efficient protocols for producing triploid fish.
Triploid fish are of particular interest in fisheries management because they are sterile and often exhibit enhanced growth, making them ideal for producing trophy-size fish in recreational fisheries. Additionally, the use of triploid fish can help mitigate ecological risks associated with reproduction, including genetic introgression due to backcrossing with wild populations.
Garcia was selected as one of two recipients of the Best Abstract Travel Award from the American Fisheries Society Fish Culture Section. The award provided $600 in travel support to attend the Aquaculture America 2026 meeting, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from February 16–19, 2026. García is conducting this research under the supervision of Dr. Dayan A. Perera, Dr. Rebecca Lochmann, and Dr. David L. Straus.
FMS Abdal, also a PhD student supervised by Dr. Uttam Deb, was selected as our Subunit's Outstanding Member. Mr. Abdal won the Aquaculture America 2026 Student Subunit Travel Award. This award covered the registration fees for this conference, held in Las Vegas.

Meet Isaiah Atoe, a sophomore and captain of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff fishing team. Atoe leads a dedicated group of student anglers including Kiedron Warner, Dalton Chennault and Chris Townsend, and Amaurie Captain who are making waves nationally as the first HBCU team to compete in the Bassmaster College Series.

Under Atoe’s leadership, the team has evolved into more than just a competitive group. What once began as a tournament-focused team has grown into a well-rounded organization.

“Honestly, it’s a little bit different now, the team has kind of done a rebrand,” Atoe said.

In addition to competing at a high level, the team has worked to expand its impact through outreach and collaboration, creating opportunities for students both on and off the water.

“We’ve got our tournament anglers, but we also have people behind the scenes helping with photography, media and management,” Atoe said. “It’s kind of like this big present that’s been wrapped together.”

The team’s recent recognition comes after competing in one of the most prestigious collegiate fishing platforms in the country. For Atoe, the experience represents more than competition, it represents history and opportunity.

“No other HBCU has ever fished Bassmaster College,” he said. “It’s like our version of the Super Bowl.”

Founded by Scott Jones, the program continues to serve as a platform for student leadership and growth, driven by the passion of each new group of anglers.

“It’s a vehicle that’s always been there,we just need students to drive it,” Jones said.

Through dedication, preparation and perseverance, the UAPB fishing team has qualified for major regional and national tournaments, continuing to build momentum within the sport.

“We fish about eight large tournaments a year, some with hundreds of boats,” Atoe said. “We’ve qualified for a regional championship and another national championship back-to-back.”

Atoe credits the team’s growth to collective effort, resilience and a shared vision for success. As the program continues to develop, the team remains focused on representing UAPB and HBCU excellence at the highest level.

“It’s something that’s still building,” Atoe said. “But what we’re doing now—it’s bigger than just fishing.”
UA Pine Bluff Aquaculture Fisheries Center

Please help us congratulate our students from the UAPB Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries who earned top recognition at the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting, held Feb. 11–13 in Russellville, Arkansas!

Three UAPB students received awards for their research presentations and contributions to the field.

Sophomore aquaculture and fisheries science major Isiah Atoe won Best Undergraduate Presentation for his research, “Does the Use of Analogy Change Angler Attitudes More Than Scientific Evidence Alone?” The award recognizes the top undergraduate oral presentation at the conference.

Graduate student Allison Shea Copeland earned Best Graduate Presentation for her research titled “Juvenile Recruitment and Habitat Use of Silver Carp in the Lower Arkansas and Lower White Rivers.”

In addition, Nolan Miller, a graduate student, was recognized as the Outstanding Student Member of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Club by the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.
More details here:
https://uapbnews.wpcomstaging.com/2026/04/10/uapb-students-earn-top-honors-at-arkansas-southern-fisheries-society-meetings/
UA Pine Bluff Aquaculture Fisheries Center

The UAPB Fisheries Subunit has been busy this semester with fieldwork, conferences, and hands-on experiences.

We’ve also had several opportunities to volunteer with AGFC, including fin clipping Brown Trout at the Norfork Hatchery along side the Trout Management Team. Our members have also been active at conferences, with multiple presentations and awards at the state, division, and national levels.

Congratulations to Nolan Miller (Outstanding Subunit Member), Isaiah Atoe (Best Undergraduate Presentation), and Shea Copeland (Best Graduate Presentation).

We have also had our members be awarded with several scholarships.
Congratulations to Jimmy Hall, Shea Copeland, Autumn Henry, and Nolan Miller, for all receiving a $1,000 scholarship from the North Arkansas Fly Fishers.
We would also like to congratulate Autumn Henry and Nolan Miller for receiving a $2,500 and a $1,000 scholarship from the Bella ViSta Fly Tyers.

Our ongoing projects include Brown Trout telemetry, population dynamics, and diet studies, as well as research on juvenile Silver Carp recruitment. Along the way, we’ve still made time to get our hands on some incredible fish and continue learning in the field.

We also hosted out annual White Bass Bonanza and fish fry, with Dr. Steve Lochman’s winning both the Biggest White Bass and Most White Bass, and Samuel Garcia Vazquez taking home the award for Biggest Other Species.

We are proud of the work our group is doing and excited for what’s ahead.

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding presentations of our students at the Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium!
Ram Babu Kurapati,Linda mukiri, Ajitha Ravikumar, Kylan Ray, Fatin Fahim, Kashyap Adhikari, NisHan Kafka, Sonya Reed, and Samuel García Vázquez delivered exceptional presentations, showcasing their hard work, innovation, and dedication to research excellence. Their contributions not only represented our institution with distinction but also highlighted the bright future of scholarly leadership.
Join us in congratulating these talented scholars on a job well done—we look forward to all they will continue to accomplish!

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding presentations of our students at the Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium!
Ram Babu Kurapati,Linda mukiri, Ajitha Ravikumar, Kylan Ray, Fatin Fahim, Kashyap Adhikari, NisHan Kafka, and Sonya Reed delivered exceptional presentations, showcasing their hard work, innovation, and dedication to research excellence. Their contributions not only represented our institution with distinction but also highlighted the bright future of scholarly leadership.
Join us in congratulating these talented scholars on a job well done—we look forward to all they will continue to accomplish!