ODWC Ending Caviar Program; Paddlefish Research to Continue

While the primitive-looking paddlefish hasn’t evolved much — if any — since prehistoric times, the state’s research and management program that has focused on the species for some two decades is now evolving in new directions. 

Today, the paddlefish stock in Grand Lake is regarded as the most studied and likely most influential population of paddlefish in the nation. This area in northeastern Oklahoma has become a blue-ribbon, destination fishery especially in the past decade, attracting anglers from 48 states who want to try snagging a fish that can grow to over 150 pounds. 

Integral to the program’s success was creation of the Paddlefish Research Center (PRC) and a unique research funding model using revenue generated from caviar production at the PRC. 

But considering the research and management accomplishments for paddlefish in the Grand/Neosho river system, and with global declines in caviar demand and prices, officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation have decided to end the caviar production program. 

This doesn’t mean ODWC’s paddlefish efforts will stop. While biologists will still be keeping tabs on the Grand/Neosho stock, they will be able to expand efforts to other paddlefish populations in the Arkansas, Canadian, and Red river watersheds, along with additional fisheries management endeavors. 

“The quantity and quality of data provided by the PRC are unprecedented for a nongame species, likely exceeding that of many game fish species. Initially, this was only possible through the caviar production model in collaboration with harvest snag anglers,” said Jason D. Schooley, Senior Fisheries Biologist with ODWC. 

“However, we are now poised to build upon this 15-year foundation of success and expand our program for the management of paddlefish and other irreplaceable and understudied native, nongame fishes, which are key to Oklahoma’s aquatic biodiversity.  

“Seizing the opportunity to pivot away from the caviar production model to align with the Sport Fish Restoration Program (SFR) will provide the funding needed for this expansion,” he said. 

SFR is a federal program that typically provides a great deal of funding for fisheries research and management. However, ODWC’s caviar program was disqualified from any SFR funding because of the income generated by caviar sales. Now, ODWC’s paddlefish research and management program will be eligible for SFR matching funds. 

Schooley said research and management of under-studied nongame fishes, both native and migratory, (such as buffalofishes, shovelnose sturgeon, and American eels) has been identified as priorities by ODWC’s Fisheries Division.  

Since 2008, the PRC has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments, as anglers donated their catches to be processed into fillets in exchange for data and egg collection: 

• More than 45,000 paddlefish weighing collectively about 1.7 million pounds were processed. 
• About 355,000 pounds of fillets was returned to anglers. 
• 22 scientific journal articles published or in development; six book chapters published; 15 technical reports including the Oklahoma Paddlefish Management Plan; and four Master’ degree theses produced.
  115 students from 16 universities employed as interns.
• About 152,600 pounds of caviar produced.
• Invaluable data to inform conservative and sustainable harvest regulations, resulting in stable or increasing paddlefish numbers in the Grand Lake stock.

“When I was hired part-time in 2009 (the second year of the program) as, effectively, the first PRC intern, I had no idea that we’d come as far as we have, or that we’d evolve into a respected nongame research and management program,” Schooley said.

“We have a lot of people to thank for this success: the paddlefish anglers, caviar processors and buyers, fish cleaners, interns, Fisheries Division employees, and our fellow Department employees. It has been a truly team effort to get here, and we’re optimistic about our future.”