Paddlefsih

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the Chinese Paddlefish Website

updated July 20, 2007

Some 2006 reports of spawning success and fingerling releases of Chinese paddlefish into the Yangzte are unfortunately about sturgeon and were translation errors.

I asked if a June 2007 report of a captured Chinese paddlefish was correct.

I received this reply on June 29, 2007

"Dear Dr. Capachi,

This is a wrong news. The fish is Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis), not Chinese paddlefish at all!

Thanks for your paying attention to Chinese paddlefish.

All the best,

Qiwei Wei, Prof./ph.D"

The Chinese news has been plagued with references to Chinese paddlefish when they are actually referring to Sturgeon. There hasn't been a specimen seen since 2003. I hope it isn't extinct. Jay Capachi - July 20, 2007

Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius), "The River Panda", "Chinese Swordfish"

possibly the largest freshwater fish, there are sketchy reports of a fish over 23 feet in length captured in past

Photo courtesy of Dr. Steven D. Mims, Aquaculture Research Center Kentucky State University

The last Chinese paddlefish captured was in January 25, 2003 and it was released with a radio transmitter into the Yangtze River.

The Chinese paddlefish and the American paddlefish have cartilege skeletons as do sharks, rays and sturgeons. Their caviar is quite valuable. The Chinese paddlefish has fabulous aquaculture potential as does its American cousin, Polyodon spathula.

The government scientist in charge of saving the Chinese paddlefish from extinction is Qiwei Wei, Prof. ph.D Director, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Germplasm Resources and Biotechnology Ministry of Agriculture of China. He was kind enough to send me The story of the attempt to save the Chinese Paddlefish today. He really cares and is not about to give up.

If mature eggs from a single female could be collected (they make over a million eggs at a time), either frozen sperm (which is available) or irradiated sturgeon sperm can fertilize the eggs. That could substantially help the species to survive. The first priority is to capture a female.

The story of the attempt to save the Chinese Paddlefish

This is a slide show of the most recent (2003) capture of a paddlefish. It takes a minute to download. None seen since.

July 26, 2007

The lower pictures are also courtesy of Dr. Steven D. Mims

photo courtesy of Chinese govt. biologist, Dr. Wei

the new Chinese capture boat, 2006

Other species which need help

the world's smallest sturgeon

the Yangtze sturgeon interesting video
the world's largest salamander Wa Wa Yu (baby fish)

email Jay Capachi

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