Short-term movements of adult Polyodon spathula (Paddlefish) are well-documented, but long-term movements are underreported. In this study, we describe extraordinary distances traveled by 4 Paddlefish that were captured, tagged, and released in Moon Lake, a remote oxbow lake in Coahoma County, MS. After 8–24 months at large, the 4 fish were recaptured in the Missouri, Mississippi, and Ohio rivers, having traversed 1408–2433 km from Moon Lake through multiple waterways downstream to the Mississippi River at Vicksburg, MS, and then upriver to 4 geographically disparate locations. The multiple waterways used by these fish and the extensive distances traveled demonstrate the potential importance of backwater habitats located away from the mainstem river, and also underscore the need for interstate cooperation to protect Paddlefish populations.
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1 May 2018
Long-Distance Movements of Four Polyodon spathula (Paddlefish) from a Remote Oxbow Lake in the Lower Mississippi River Basin
Ehlana G. Stell,
Jan Jeffrey Hoover,
Bryan A. Cage,
Darrin Hardesty,
Glenn R. Parsons
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