The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) manages four freshwater fish hatcheries throughout Louisiana. The hatcheries primarily enhance sport fish populations, increase recreational fishing opportunities, and on occasion, restore desirable sportfish populations in newly renovated waterbodies. The four fish hatcheries include Booker Fowler Fish Hatchery (Forest Hill, LA), Beechwood Fish Hatchery (Forest Hill, LA), Monroe Fish Hatchery (Monroe, LA), and Huey P. Long Fish Hatchery (Lacombe, LA). The hatcheries spawn, hatch, and raise a number of important native freshwater fish species including Black and White Crappie; Hybrid Striped Bass, Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish; Bluegill; Redear Sunfish; Threadfin Shad; and Paddlefish. LDWF also raises Florida Largemouth Bass rather than the Northern Largemouth Bass (Louisiana’s native bass) since they grow larger, to provide anglers with the potential to catch a trophy-sized fish. The Northern Largemouth Bass, however, has been known to strike a lure better than the Florida Largemouth Bass, so the goal is to create a hybrid of the two subspecies offering anglers the opportunity to catch bass that are both robust and willing to bite. The LDWF Fisheries Outreach section is a crucial component to bridge LDWF fisheries management programs and their mission with public knowledge and perception about Louisiana’s natural resources.
The Booker Fowler Fish Hatchery participates in a program called Native Fish in the Classroom (NFC). LDWF collaborated with Louisiana Sea Grant (LSG) in 2002 to develop NFC and provide students in grades 6-12 a hands-on approach to learning about stewardship, Louisiana’s aquatic natural resources, and fisheries management. Paddlefish were chosen because their life cycle coincides with the school spring semester, they grow rapidly, and they are a unique fish species. The objectives for this program are: (a) assist students in developing an attitude of stewardship towards the state’s natural resources, (b) maintain a classroom-based nursery aquarium and grow Louisiana native paddlefish from eggs to fingerlings, and (c) provide students with information about fisheries management, fish biology, water quality science, species conservation, and aquatic natural resources. During late February/early March students attend a field trip at the Hatchery to assist with Paddlefish spawning. After spawning, students raise the eggs in their classrooms to fingerling size and then release the fish at locations approved by LDWF. As of 2022, NFC has 24 teachers and approximately 2,200 students participating from 22 schools, across 19 cities in 18 parishes. LDWF Fisheries Outreach continues to educate students and the public about conservation, stewardship, and fisheries management using fish hatcheries and programs such as Native Fish in the Classroom funded by the Sport Fish Restoration Program.