The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has announced the results of the 2025 Texas division of the Wildlife Forever’s Fish Art Contest. This event is organized by TPWD's Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. A total of 12 entries from 485 submissions will be highlighted in the 2026 Texas Fish Art Calendar and featured in an exhibition at TFFC, which will welcome the public starting July 1.
The Fish Art Contest forms part of an international conservation education initiative that promotes interest in fish, fisheries, and fishing among students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Participants are encouraged to submit original artworks of any fish along with a creative writing piece focused on the fish species, its habitat, or conservation efforts related to it.
“The Fish Art Contest does a tremendous job of exposing students across Texas to the wonders of fish and fisheries resources through the nexus of art,” said Tom Lang, Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center director. “We always look forward to this time of year when we are once again amazed by the outstanding work and artistic interpretations of these young Texans.”
In the competition, winners across various grade categories were recognized. For the K-3 category, first place went to Jessica Ding of Austin. In the grades 4-6 category, Kenneth Ge from Lubbock secured the top spot. Rachel Shen of Austin triumphed in the grades 7-9 category, and Joshua Washington of Pasadena won the grades 10-12 group.
This year introduced two new awards: the Special Species Award, highlighting focused species or sets of species, and the Mighty Minnow Award, which acknowledges creative efforts from kindergarten participants. Alyssa Trevino from Pharr received the Special Species Award for a piece on the Guadalupe bass, while the Mighty Minnow Award was given to Rishan Patri from Beaumont.
First-place winners from each age group will advance to the national stage to compete against their peers from other states. Scholarship awards were distributed to first, second, and third-place winners in each Texas category, with funding assistance provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.
Educators interested in participating in the 2026 contest can find further information and resources online. These include entry forms and lesson plans that integrate various disciplines related to the contest themes.
Wildlife Forever, based in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, is a nonprofit dedicated to conservation efforts across the United States. It operates at the grassroots level, funding diverse conservation projects across all 50 states.
For those interested in viewing the winning artworks, high-resolution images can be accessed through the 2025 Fish Art Contest Album on the TPWD Flickr page.
