AQFI Center of Excellence

Welcome to the Aquaculture/Fisheries (AQFI) Center at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). The Center of Excellence was created in 1988 to combine resident instruction, research and Extension responsibilities into one comprehensive unit. Our faculty, staff and students work together, across disciplines and functions to offer research-based scientific solutions to make a difference in Arkansas and throughout the U.S.

Mission Statement

The Aquaculture/Fisheries Center of Excellence is a research and Extension center dedicated to the development and transfer of timely, problem-solving information. The primary mission is to respond to immediate and future needs of the state’s aquaculture industry and fisheries and aquatic resource managers through quality research and Extension programs. The primary stakeholders and beneficiaries of the Center are aquaculture producers, aquaculture support industries, private pond owners, county Extension personnel, state and federal natural resource agencies, and undergraduate and graduate students of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries. UAPB is the only state-supported institution of higher education in Arkansas that has statewide responsibility for both research and Extension in aquaculture and fisheries.

The Center and Department are dedicated to (1) applied and basic aquaculture and fisheries research; (2) dissemination of scientifically proven results through Extension and advanced educational techniques that contribute to the economic development of the Delta region and the state; (3) the aquaculture industry of Arkansas; 4) undergraduate and graduate aquaculture and fisheries education; and (5) the responsible management and conservation of aquatic resources in Arkansas.

About Our Center

The AQFI Center of Excellence at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is recognized as an international leader in aquaculture/fisheries teaching, research and Extension programs.
The Center currently has a total of 33 faculty, Extension specialists and staff, including nine Ph.D. scientists and six M.S. scientists. The aquaculture industry in Arkansas and natural resource agencies support UAPB with in-kind contributions and through participation in workshops and conferences.