Aaron Frater

Aaron Frater received a B.S. in Biology from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin in 2011. After graduating he worked at trout farm in Star Prairie, Wisconsin and then went to intern at Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota, Florida working at their Siberian sturgeon facility for commercial caviar production. Shortly after he received a job as assistant manager for Los Ojos State fish hatchery in Los Ojos, New Mexico where he worked with Rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon. This job experience resulted in an offer to work with a private company in Prince William Sound, Alaska as the Assistant Manager overseeing the production of Pink, Chum, and Sockeye salmon. This was all prior to working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 

Aaron began his career with the USFWS in 2015 as a term bio-tech at Gavin’s Point National Fish Hatchery where he worked on programs including endangered Pallid sturgeon, Paddlefish, Walleye, Smallmouth bass, and Rainbow trout . He began his first permanent position as a Biologist at Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery in 2017 working as the lead on the propagation program for threatened Louisiana Pearlshell Mussel as well as propagation of Paddlefish, Alligator snapping turtle, Alligator gar, and Channel catfish. While at Natchitoches Aaron oversaw the aquarium, public outreach, and displays. He also participated in the first ever stocking and reintroduction efforts of tagged Louisiana Pearlshell mussels for the USFWS.

In July of 2020 Aaron was hired as the Assistant Manager for Willow Beach NFH where he oversees propagation programs for Rainbow trout, Razorback sucker, and Bonytail chub. He also helps oversee a satellite facility in Parker Arizona called Achii Hanyo Native Fish Rearing Facility that rears Razorback sucker and Bonytail chub in ponds.

Aaron is currently pursuing a Masters in Fisheries and Wildlife at West Virginia University in collaboration with NCTC. His thesis is focusing on propagation and reintroduction efforts for the threatened Louisiana Pearlshell Mussel.