Now Reading: Paddlefish tagged in 2007 caught 18 years later, 11 pounds heavier
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Paddlefish tagged in 2007 caught 18 years later, 11 pounds heavier
Paddlefish tagged in 2007 caught 18 years later, 11 pounds heavier
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
A fish tagged in 2007 and caught 18 years later makes for a feel-good headline, but the real story is the quiet value of long-term science. Some narratives paint conservation as a losing battle. This paddlefish's journey from a hatchery in North Dakota back to the same waters shows that patient data collection, not grand gestures, can yield real insights. The 11-pound gain over 18 years is unglamorous but concrete evidence of a healthy population. The question that matters now is whether such tagging programmes will survive budget cuts long enough to track the next generation of these ancient fish.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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