Rob Holm
Inducted 2021
Rob is a resident of Riverdale and retired in June 2021 completing a 36-year career with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. For the most recent 25 years of his career, he has been the manager of the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and Valley City National Fish Hatchery. As North Dakota does not have a state fish hatchery, the ND Game and Fish department partners with the federal hatcheries and Rob Holm has played a key role in developing and maintaining this effective partnership.
During Rob’s tenure as manager of the federal hatcheries in the North Dakota, literally hundreds of millions of fish have been raised for the benefit of the angling public. Walleye fingerling production has increased from approximately 7 million in 1986 to around 12 million in 2020. Rob has been a leader in various projects enhancing pallid sturgeon which is North Dakota’s only federally-listed endangered species) and is world renowned for his pallid sturgeon propagation efforts that have greatly improved their sub-populations in the Missouri River system.
In spite of the numerous policy and fiscal challenges during his tenure in North Dakota, Rob has struck the needed balance that addresses the federal priorities while enhancing recreational stocking through the state, to include tribal waters. Without Rob’s leadership, today’s productivity requirements would not be met, creating shortages in recreational fish production. Rob also led the project to develop a new visitor center at the Garrison Dam National Fish hatchery complete with five 400-gallon aquariums that display many of North Dakota’s fish species. The visitor center receives more than 10,000 visitors annually which increases the public knowledge of North Dakota’s aquatic resources.
Promoting fishing opportunities has been a mission of Rob’s and he has worked with various groups to promote fishing opportunities for youth and elderly as well as those with physical and mental challenges. Rob’s list of professional accomplishments and recognition is long and he was appointed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as one of a four-person team who developed a fish culture course that is now offered annually throughout the nation to train new fish hatchery staff.
Rob’s vast knowledge and application of scientific principles, his wide diversity of skills, his advocacy for the fish and the public, and his never-ending innovation has created a successful program for propagating fish for stocking waters and has been invaluable to supporting and improving sportfishing in North Dakota. Rob has always displayed an unselfish dedication to help and educate others, positively promote sportfishing, and preserve and protect the fishery resource.
Inducted 2021
Rob is a resident of Riverdale and retired in June 2021 completing a 36-year career with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. For the most recent 25 years of his career, he has been the manager of the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and Valley City National Fish Hatchery. As North Dakota does not have a state fish hatchery, the ND Game and Fish department partners with the federal hatcheries and Rob Holm has played a key role in developing and maintaining this effective partnership.
During Rob’s tenure as manager of the federal hatcheries in the North Dakota, literally hundreds of millions of fish have been raised for the benefit of the angling public. Walleye fingerling production has increased from approximately 7 million in 1986 to around 12 million in 2020. Rob has been a leader in various projects enhancing pallid sturgeon which is North Dakota’s only federally-listed endangered species) and is world renowned for his pallid sturgeon propagation efforts that have greatly improved their sub-populations in the Missouri River system.
In spite of the numerous policy and fiscal challenges during his tenure in North Dakota, Rob has struck the needed balance that addresses the federal priorities while enhancing recreational stocking through the state, to include tribal waters. Without Rob’s leadership, today’s productivity requirements would not be met, creating shortages in recreational fish production. Rob also led the project to develop a new visitor center at the Garrison Dam National Fish hatchery complete with five 400-gallon aquariums that display many of North Dakota’s fish species. The visitor center receives more than 10,000 visitors annually which increases the public knowledge of North Dakota’s aquatic resources.
Promoting fishing opportunities has been a mission of Rob’s and he has worked with various groups to promote fishing opportunities for youth and elderly as well as those with physical and mental challenges. Rob’s list of professional accomplishments and recognition is long and he was appointed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as one of a four-person team who developed a fish culture course that is now offered annually throughout the nation to train new fish hatchery staff.
Rob’s vast knowledge and application of scientific principles, his wide diversity of skills, his advocacy for the fish and the public, and his never-ending innovation has created a successful program for propagating fish for stocking waters and has been invaluable to supporting and improving sportfishing in North Dakota. Rob has always displayed an unselfish dedication to help and educate others, positively promote sportfishing, and preserve and protect the fishery resource.