Aquatic Research & Conservation Society, Inc.

The purpose of this research project is to provide size and age composition for commercial fish species (Smallmouth Buffalo, Bigmouth Buffalo, River Carpsucker, Highfin, and Quillback) in the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers.  This data will determine sustainable levels of harvest to avoid overfishing and to develop conservation management quotas and practices. This project will monitor commercially managed fish in an effort to characterize size distribution, abundance, movement, and habitat use to determine age-class structure, recruitment, reproductive potential, growth rates, sex ratio, and mortality to better understand their populations.  These measures are necessary to sustainably manage the fishery.  Commercially managed fish sustain an economically valuable fishery and are ecologically valuable native species in Minnesota.