JACKSON - A shovelnose sturgeon tagged and released in the Mississippi River near Tunica by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) biologists was recaptured on February 5, 2016, in the Mississippi River near Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The fish, which swam almost 380 miles, was captured and released alive by a commercial fisherman. The sturgeon was originally tagged in 2012 by biologists performing research on pallid sturgeon, an endangered fish species.
"Sturgeon are remarkable fish that often make long distance migrations throughout the Mississippi River Basin," says MDWFP fisheries biologist Nathan Aycock. "This isn't the first fish we've tagged that was recaptured years later, hundreds of miles away. We've also caught fish in Mississippi that were tagged in other states, including one sturgeon, originally tagged near New Orleans, that moved over 550 miles upstream!"
"We tag fish to learn about their movement patterns and habitat use," added Aycock. "Documenting long range movement of riverine fish species such as the sturgeon demonstrates the importance of working with other state and federal agencies to manage and protect these amazing animals."
For more information regarding fishing in Mississippi visit our website at www.mdwfp.com or call us at (601) 432-2212. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
"Sturgeon are remarkable fish that often make long distance migrations throughout the Mississippi River Basin," says MDWFP fisheries biologist Nathan Aycock. "This isn't the first fish we've tagged that was recaptured years later, hundreds of miles away. We've also caught fish in Mississippi that were tagged in other states, including one sturgeon, originally tagged near New Orleans, that moved over 550 miles upstream!"
"We tag fish to learn about their movement patterns and habitat use," added Aycock. "Documenting long range movement of riverine fish species such as the sturgeon demonstrates the importance of working with other state and federal agencies to manage and protect these amazing animals."
For more information regarding fishing in Mississippi visit our website at www.mdwfp.com or call us at (601) 432-2212. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
Advertising