UAPB - AQUACULTURE EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH STATION: EXTENSION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
The Aquaculture Research Station at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is located on 81 hectares of land one mile north of the UAPB campus. There are currently 107 earthen ponds including a 5-ha reservoir that supplies water to the remaining 106 research ponds. However, the number of ponds will be reduced to 97 due to a renovation project that will start in early 2017. Thirty-five ponds are 400 m2 in size. There are fifty ponds 1,000 m2 in size, sixteen 2,000 m2 ponds, and one4,000 m2 pond that is used as a small impoundment demonstration. Further research may be also conducted in 40 2.7 m diameter pools covered with bird netting. A hangar covers eight concrete vats used for holding, grading, or otherwise processing fish. The primary hatchery building holds recirculating systems for research. Other buildings on site include: 1) Aquaculture Equipment Development Building; 2) Aquaculture Research and Demonstration Building; 3) Feed Building; 4) Hatchery; 5) Maintenance Building; 6) Storage Facility; 7) Value-Added Product Development and Demonstration Building; 8) Water Chemistry Laboratory; 9) Aquatic Plant Greenhouse; and 10) Truck Shed.
The facilities and resources at the UAPB Aquaculture Research Station have been utilized to host a number of educational and Extension outreach activities including Aquatic Sciences Day, Field Day, elementary, middle and high school guided tours, in-service training for Extension personnel, and fish sales. These outreach and Extension events will be described and historical data will be presented to demonstrate how a research facility can be successfully utilized for education and outreach to a number of different aquaculture stakeholders.