Nebraskaland

56 Nebraskaland • July 2024 MIXED BAG Each year, thousands of visitors to the Nebraska State Fair enjoy the 6,000-gallon aquarium at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Encounter exhibit. Many folks make the aquarium their fi rst stop when they get to the fair. They see common fi sh, odd-looking fi sh, bigger fi sh and smaller fi sh. They see fi sh they've caught and fi sh they wish they could catch. They see invasive fi sh and fi sh that don't occur in their part of the state. "We have a lot of diff erent fi sh species that inhabit Nebraska waters from north to south and east to west," said Tony Barada, Game and Parks' fi sheries management assistant division administrator. "We're trying to provide the diversity of fi sh that's in Nebraska both in our lakes and reservoirs and in the rivers and streams." Curiosity may be what draws people to the aquarium to see about 150 fi sh representing 35 species. "We try to get fi sh species that folks will likely encounter while fi shing in Nebraska," said Brad Eifert, south central district fi sheries supervisor. "We select for larger specimens as the awe factor is greater. It is the State Fair, after all, and we only want to display purple ribbon quality fi sh." The fi sh come primarily from Johnson Lake and several Interstate 80 Lakes. Several trout species are taken from the Commission's hatchery system. "'Where do the fi sh come from' is the most often asked question from parkgoers," said Eifert. "It is easier to collect them closer to Grand Island if possible. Most are swimming in public lakes just days before the fair. And we try to release most back to where we collected them." During the week leading up to the opening of the fair, which occurs on a Friday, fi sheries biologists collect fi sh from reservoirs, lakes, rivers and hatcheries. Most of the fi sh are captured by electrofi shing, a method in which specialized equipment administers an electric current in the water to temporarily stun the fi sh. Others are at the fairgrounds preparing the aquarium for deliveries of fi sh. Between Monday and Thursday, staff have to collect fi sh, transfer them from boats to hauling tanks, deliver them to the fair and transfer them to the aquarium. "The aquarium provides a unique opportunity to view how fi sh maneuver around and react with each other in their underwater environments," said Eifert. "Each species tends to fi nd its own niche within the confi nes of the aquarium, and while we do see some predation, most tend to agree to get along during their two-week stay." In all, about 15 Game and Parks fi sheries staff ers are involved in the eff ort. They also are available to answer questions about the fi sh during the fair's 11-day run in Grand Island, which ends Sept. 2. "It's a team eff ort and it takes a lot of coordination, especially from our staff stationed at our Kearney offi ce," Barada said. "In the end, it's a pretty cool product." FROM THE LAKE TO THE TANK By Jerry Kane A channel catfi sh swims in the aquarium at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's Outdoor Encounter at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND

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