Volunteers & Friends

Aerial view of the hatchery. Credit: USFWS

Channel catfish juveniles. Credit: USFWS

Historic overview of hatchery quarters. Credit: USFWS

Historic picture of hatchery. Credit: USFWS

John Freeman with largemouth bass. Credit: USFWS

Razorback sucker tagging. Credit: USFWS

Volunteers

"Our volunteers are individuals who want to give back to their communities, parents who want to be good stewards of the land and set examples for their children, retired people willing to share their wealth of knowledge, concerned citizens of all ages who want to learn more about conservation, and passionate people who enjoy the outdoors and want to spread the word about America's greatest natural treasures."

Learn more about volunteering with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at https://www.fws.gov/volunteers/.

Resident Volunteer Program

Uvalde National Fish Hatchery participates in the Resident Volunteer program. Contact the hatchery for more information on requirements and availability.

Volunteer Tasks

The tasks that volunteers perform at Uvalde NFH vary depending on the time of year and the experience and knowledge that each volunteer brings to the hatchery. Volunteers are always welcomed. A person can volunteer as little or as much of their time as they choose. Housing may be available to those volunteers willing to work a minimum of 20 hours per week.

Volunteer tasks can include grounds and vehicle maintenance, cleaning, running errands, taking photos and videos, handling fish, feeding fish, collecting fish spawns (eggs), collecting water quality data, participating in outreach activities, assisting staff with fish tagging, and pond harvesting. Some projects may include hands-on construction. Examples of such projects are constructing outreach aquaria displays, refurbishing public walking decks, outdoor classroom design and implementation.

National Fisheries Friends Partnership

"Fisheries Friends Groups are non-profit organizations that work in partnership with the Service at National Fish Hatcheries, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices and Fish Health and Fish Technology Centers. The NFFP will provide a citizen voice and volunteer assistance with the protection and conservation of national aquatic resources for the benefit of present and future generations at Fisheries Program field stations."