Paddlefish Polyodon spathula Reproductive Ecology in Truman Reservoir, Missouri

Creating reservoirs on large rivers drastically alters habitat utilized by the species that in habitat that large river. They transform lotic habitat into lentic habitat, flood historical spawning habitat and can block spawning migrations. This can put the species that use these habitats at risk. One such species is the Paddlefish Polyodon spathula, which are a popular sport fish in Missouri. Demand from recreational anglers has created a need to maintain stability in Paddlefish populations across Missouri. Sustainable populations in Missouri’s reservoirs have been maintained through annual stocking, as successful reproduction has never been documented in these systems. As such, our objectives are too locate spawning aggregations and collect eggs or larvae near these aggregations. To accomplish this, Paddlefish will be captured using gill nets and 100 reproductive adults will be implanted with ultrasonic transmitters. Tracking these individuals will allow us to track movement patterns and locate spawning aggregations. Eggs mats and trawls will then be employed to collect eggs or larvae. The results of this study will allow management officials to assess stocking protocols and help to ensure sustainable populations in reservoir ecosystems.