The Northwest Arkansas Fish Habitat Alliance worked with Cedarville High School, the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and MossBack fish habitat company to conduct a fish habitat project on Lake Fort Smith.
High school students from Cedarville constructed the fish habitat structures and helped sink them in the lake. A total of 19 large MossBack structures were placed in two areas of the lake. Students also learned about fisheries management on the lake and obtained experience in sampling fish with electrofishing.
This project is the first of many in which the alliance will be working with local high schools and local businesses to improve fish habitat in the region's lakes. The next project will be on Lincoln Lake with Lincoln High School. MossBack, Arkansas Striped Bass Association and Game and Fish will fund the project.
Other proposed habitat projects with high schools and youth fishing clubs include Beaver Lake, Youth Fishing Federation; Bob Kidd Lake, Prairie Grove High School; Siloam Springs City Lake, Siloam Springs High School; Swepco Lake, Siloam Springs High School; and Lake Leatherwood, Eureka Springs High School.