Catfish Woman - Darrell Feit Info

"When I was a kid I always knew that I wanted to be a forest ranger. Of course I had no idea what a forest ranger did."

So Darrell Feit found out.

"I went to Peru State college. While in school I worked as a temporary assistant for Nebraska Game and Parks. Then I was signed up to teach for a year after graduating from college. But after one year I came back and have been with [Nebraska] Game and Parks full time since 1965. I worked for the Nebraska Southeast State lakes association area. I worked as an extension biologist for private waters throughout the state. I did extensive work on the Missouri river studying catfish. Now I've been here as Director of the Ak-sar-ben Aquarium since 1977. I oversee the overall management of the aquarium and as you know, working with the government does involve a lot of pushing paper so there is a lot of that. I also look over the displays and make sure it's all running like it should. I guess it's totally ruined my hobbies."

Nevertheless, Feit wouldn't be anywhere else. The Ak-sar-ben aquarium boasts more than 50 species of fish that are either native to Nebraska or have been introduced successfully to the state. As featured in the Next Exit segment "Catfish Woman" the aquarium currently is home to the largest blue catfish on display in the United States. The museum also houses an endangered species known as the pallid sturgeon as well as a threatened species the lake sturgeon. The shovelnose sturgeon is also on display at the aquarium. It is one of the most common species of fish in the state.

"We have about 65,000 total people come to the aquarium each year. About 20,000 of those are school kids," said Feit. "When children come for field trips we have different activities for them to do, hands-on displays, and we'll usually show them a video. We have several different kinds of teaching aids for field trips and an aquatic education program for instructors in the state to help them with the aquatic phase of biology. We'll send teachers out water test kits, pickled fish, water samples, and a video. We have one staff member whose job it is to pack items for educators across the state."

The Ak-sar-ben aquarium is located six miles south off of I-80 exit 432. There are also signs along the way to help you find your way. Admission is $1.00 for adults and $0.50 for children.

"It's a nice place for a family outing. We have a theater show which features videos for the public. There are nature trails that people can walk and there are ponds that you can view."

But one word of warning to anyone who enters the Ak-Sar-Ben aquarium. There are no indoor eating facilities. So if you decide to visit the aquarium on an empty stomach -- please keep your eyes off that catfish!