Conservation Department, 1510 S Business 49, Neosho, MO 64850, US

Paddle Fish Research & Processing Center in Miami, OK is a facility dedicated to the study and preservation of paddlefish, one of the most unique fish in Oklahoma. These prehistoric fish can live up to 50 years and are found mainly in the Grand Neosho, Arkansas, and Red River systems. Paddlefish have long oar or spoon-like bills, smooth scaleless skin, and broad shark-like tails. During the spring, males develop sandpapery-like bumps breeding tubercles on their heads and back. They feed by swimming through the water with their mouth open and filter feeding on small microscopic plankton. Paddlefish are caught by snagging during their early spring spawning run, and efforts have been made to re-introduce them to waters where they have become locally eradicated. The center conducts research on paddlefish populations and encourages anglers to report banded harvests and follow regulations to support conservation efforts.Generated from the website