Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485
><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net
><)> On Behalf
><)> Of Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS
><)> Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2004 11:05 PM
><)> To: 'nanfa_at_aquaria.net'
><)> Subject: NANFA--Paddlefish and gar, 1908
><)>
><)>
><)> In 1907, Charles Stockard published one of the
><)> first (and now famous) field
><)> studies of paddlefish.
><)>
><)> In 1908, he published a follow-up on the
><)> newly-developing paddlefish caviar
><)> fishery (now little known). Today I got a copy of
><)> that article. His
><)> observations on the former abundance of ganoid
><)> fishes are fascinating
><)> particularly since the supply of paddlefish was
><)> even then "rapidly
><)> dimishing." He reports:
><)>
><)> ...one fisherman in Mississippi had recently
><)> shipped 63,500 pounds of
><)> paddlefish meat and 5940 pounds of caviar!
><)> Maximum weight of fish was
><)> reported as 140 lbs and caviar/female as 8-10
><)> pounds. This total was
><)> probably equivalent to well over 1000 adult fish.
><)>
><)> ...fishery in Louisiana began in 1896. A
><)> fishermen with a good crew and
><)> equipment cleared many thousands of dollars during
><)> the 6-month season.
><)> Wholesale cost of caviar was 75 cents/pound!
><)>
><)> ...paddlefish were collected from special seining
><)> barges equiped with
><)> mile-long nets. Single hauls once yielded as many
><)> as 150 barrels of
><)> paddlefish but even then had decreased to 10 barrels.
><)>
><)> ...alligator gar, viewed as enemies of the
><)> paddlefish, were removed and left
><)> to the vultures. In one season, 30,000 gar were
><)> removed from a single
><)> Mississippi lake. Stockard reports that a
><)> commercial fisherman has a
><)> "scheme in progress to take their skins, the
><)> scales of which take a high
><)> polish, for hand-bags, pocket-books, leggings and
><)> like uses. "
><)> ---------------------------
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><)> / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North
><)> American Native Fishes
><)> / Association"
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><)> American Native Fishes Association
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><)> / For more information about NANFA, visit our web
><)> page, http://www.nanfa.org
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org