The Missouri River System's "Other" Fish

Pallid Sturgeon

Although pallid sturgeon probably never were very plentiful, they certainly have declined in number during the past 50 years. Pallids were historically distributed throughout the Missouri and lower Mississippi rivers.

In North Dakota, pallids have been documented throughout the Missouri River System, but because this prehistoric fish requires certain environmental conditions for spawning, the only remaining stretch with a semblance of a population is in the Missouri-Yellowstone river confluence area. Even in this area, however, it is unclear if there has been any successful reproduction of pallid sturgeon for many years. Specific spawning requirements for pallids are believed to include gravel/rock substrate, rising May-June water levels, increasing water temperatures and moderate water velocities. Turbid conditions may also be a prerequisite.

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