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Big Rivers Flathead Catfish Final Report

Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) are native to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and support extremely important fisheries on these big rivers. The Missouri River supports a recreational fishery, and the Mississippi River supports both recreational and commercial fisheries. Missouri’s big river, flathead catfish populations have not been intensively managed in the past, and information needed to inform management and regulatory decisions is limiting. Flathead catfish were sampled in the Mississippi and Missouri rivers using low-frequency electrofishing, and these data, along with tag return information, were used to estimate exploitation and other population demographics (e.g., size structure, age and growth, and total annual mortality). Management and regulatory recommendations focus on increasing yield available to fishers and ensuring sustainability of big river, flathead catfish populations.