Fish hatchery to receive much-needed facelift

MAMMOTH SPRING, Ark. (KAIT) - A fish hatchery in Northeast Arkansas is receiving a much-needed facelift.

The Jim Hinkle Spring River Fish Hatchery near Mammoth Spring is the only state-run trout hatchery in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission held a groundbreaking in Sept. 2021 to formally announce the start of the renovations.

AGFC Director Austin Booth said the commission would be doubling down on trout production across the state.

B.J. Vandiver, the hatchery’s assistant manager, said the current production space is busting at the seams.

“Right now, we are over capacity on all of our production units,” he said. “This renovation will greatly help with that.”

With more space, Vandiver said the hatchery will be able to produce a better product for the state.

“Our fish will be a better quality because we won’t have them so thick in our production units,” he said. “We can thin them out, grow them faster, and raise a better, stronger, and healthier fish.”

The project is expected to be finished by December.

correction: Our initial article stated the Jim Hinkle Spring River Fish Hatchery was “the only state trout hatchery in Arkansas.” This is not true. It is the only state-run trout hatchery in Arkansas. We regret the error.

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