Featured Species
Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery works with approximately 12 species of fish. The bulk of our efforts are directed at producing American paddlefish and pallid sturgeon. These native species are both stocked into the Missouri River and its reservoirs (in the case of paddlefish). Other species we work with include: bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch, walleye, rainbow trout, flathead chubs and Kendall Warm Springs Dace.
Endangered pallid sturgeon have been produced at our facility since 1997. Since then, hundreds of thousands of these prehistoric fish have been released into the Missouri River. The hope is that one day they will form a self-sustaining population in the Missouri and Mississippi River basins.
American paddlefish are a species we have worked with for decades. These enormous filter feeders are native to the Missouri River but have struggled to adapt in areas impounded by the large dams constructed in the mid 20th century. Our paddlefish production boosts the populations within those reservoirs. In addition to being a very unique species, paddlefish are also an important sportfish in South Dakota.