Why are paddlefish common in the Missouri River when some folks in other states think paddlefish should be an endangered species?
Habitat quality for paddlefish is especially good for all life stages in the Fort Peck Reservoir/Missouri River system. Paddlefish evidently spawn effectively in the Missouri because the relatively free-flowing river provides good spawning habitat for them. Much of this spawning habitat is located within a large protected Wild and Scenic river corridor. They’re finicky spawners that need a combination of high water, the right temperature and a good substrate of clean gravel and cobble. Usually sufficient mountain run-off in spring covers gravel bars used for spawning. The silty, murky water may protect newly hatched fish from predation as they move downriver to the reservoir. Once in the reservoir, paddlefish have abundant food for growth and maturation. So there’s good habitat for the entire life cycle. But in other areas of the United States habitat quality is generally poor. Nearly all of our large rivers in North America have been significantly changed by dam and reservoir construc
