Department announces New Mexico Fish Art Contest winners
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New Mexico Department of Wildlife Public contact only , Information Center: 888-248-6866, ispa@dgf.nm.gov
Media contact only, Darren Vaughan: 505-476-8027, darren.vaughan@dgf.nm.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 13, 2026:
Department announces New Mexico Fish Art Contest winners
SANTA FE – Some of New Mexico's most talented youth artists took part in the first-ever Art of Conservation New Mexico Fish Art Contest , with winners announced last week by the New Mexico Department of Wildlife.
The contest included divisions for grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. The top-three finishers in each division will proceed to the National Fish Art Contest, sponsored by Wildlife Forever . Other categories included the Invader Crusader Award, for artwork featuring a native and invasive aquatic species found in the student's local area; the Mighty Minnow Award, for kindergarten participants; the New Mexico Native Trout Award, for artwork highlighting New Mexico's native trout species — Gila trout or Rio Grande cutthroat trout; and the New Mexico Species of Greatest Conservation Need Award, for artwork that best represents species identified by the Department as being most at risk and in need of proactive conservation.
Winners are as follows:
Kindergarten-3rd Grade
1st Place: Maverick Morales , Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout
2nd Place: Muhan Gao , Rainbow Trout
3rd Place: Claire Archuleta , New Mexico Brook Trout
4th-6th Grade
1st Place: Melany Trevizo , Rainbow Trout
2nd Place: Bella Springstead , Gila Trout
3rd Place: Maya Croom , Rio Grande Cutthroat
7th-9th Grade
1st Place: Claire Lee , Southern Redbelly Dace
2nd Place: Ellie-Jean Landin , Longnose Gar
3rd Place: Silas Bledsoe , Bluegill
10th-12th Grade
1st Place: Christina Rose Agrusa , Gila Chub
2nd Place: Sophia Morgan , Greenthroat Darter
3rd Place: Arielle Senior , Trout
Invader Crusader Award
Jackson Pfeiffer , Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout and Zebra Mussel
Mighty Minnow Award
Lilly Bowley , Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout
New Mexico Native Trout Award
Kevin Villa , Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout
New Mexico Species of Greatest Conservation Need Award
Claire Lee , Southern Redbelly Dace
First-place winners in grades 7-9 and 10-12 received guided half-day fishing trips provided by Mayfly Fly Fishing. Those who finished in first, second and third place in grades K-3 and 4-6 received a group fishing experience with Chris Jarvis, who works with the Department on various educational efforts throughout the state. Other prizes were donated by Trout Unlimited and private individuals.
The Department would like to thank Sen. Martin Heinrich's office and Trout Unlimited for their support and assistance with judging this year's entries, as well as the New Mexico Council of Outfitters and Guides for helping to secure fly-fishing services.
All winning entries can be viewed here .
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New Mexico Department of Wildlife, 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507
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