# Paddlefish tagged in 2007 caught 18 years later, 11 pounds heavier

2026-08-09T08:20:07+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

A paddlefish tagged by North Dakota fisheries biologists in 2007 was caught again in May 2025 during the state's annual snagging season, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department reported. The female fish, originally netted on the Yellowstone River, weighed 87 pounds and measured 48 inches. When recaptured 18 years later near Williston, it had grown to 98 pounds and 51 inches. The long gap between captures provided scientists with rare data on growth rates and survival. Paddlefish, which can live over 60 years, are considered living fossils with ancestors dating back 100 million years.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/in-2007-north-dakota-biologists-tagged-an-87-pound-paddlefish-18-years-later-an-angler-caught-the-same-fish-weighing-98-pounds/articleshow/133032647.cms>

Tags: conservation, fish tagging, long-term data, North Dakota, paddlefish, Yellowstone River
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