Editing Paddlefish (section)

==Propagation and culture==

The advancements in biotechnology in paddlefish propagation and rearing of captive stock indicate significant improvements in reproduction success, adaptation and survival rates of paddlefish cultured for broodstock development and stock rehabilitation.  Such improvements have led to successful practices in reservoir ranching and pond rearing, creating an increasing interest in the global market for paddlefish polyculture.<ref name=WAS>{{cite conference | last=Mims |first=Steven | year=2013 | title=Current global status of American paddlefish aquaculture | conference=World Aquaculture Society | type=meeting abstract | url=https://www.was.org/meetings/ShowAbstract.aspx?Id=28396 | access-date=April 28, 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233953/https://www.was.org/meetings/ShowAbstract.aspx?Id=28396 | archive-date=March 3, 2016 }}</ref><ref name=Mims>{{cite report | first=Steven D. |last=Mims | date=February 2006 | title=Paddlefish culture: Development expanding beyond U.S., Russia, China | publisher=[[Global Aquaculture Alliance]] | url=http://pdf.gaalliance.org/pdf/GAA-Mims-Feb06.pdf | access-date=April 28, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714141327/http://pdf.gaalliance.org/pdf/GAA-Mims-Feb06.pdf | archive-date=July 14, 2014 }}</ref>

In a cooperative scientific effort in the early 1970s between the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]] and its former [[USSR]] counterpart, American paddlefish were imported into the former USSR for [[aquaculture]], beginning with five-thousand hatched larvae from [[Missouri]] hatcheries in the [[United States]]. They were introduced into several rivers in Europe and Asia, and provided the first brood stock that were successfully reproduced in 1984–1986 in Russia.<ref name=Lenhardt-Hegediš-etal-2006>{{cite journal |first1=Mirjana |last1=Lenhardt |first2=A. |last2=Hegediš |first3=B. |last3=Mićković |first4=Željka Višnjić |last4=Jeftić |first5=Marija |last5=Smederevac |first6=I. |last6=Jarić |first7=G. |last7=Cvijanović |first8=Z. |last8=Gačić. |display-authors=6 |year=2006 |title=First record of the North American paddlefish in the Serbian part of the Danube River |journal=Arch. Biol. Sci. |volume=58 |issue=3 |pages=27–28 |url=http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0354-4664/2006/0354-4664060327PL.pdf |via=doiserbia.nb.rs |access-date=June 9, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714122704/http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0354-4664/2006/0354-4664060327PL.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2014  <!-- |publisher=Sinisa Stankovic Institute for Biological Research |place=Belgrade, RS --> }}</ref> Paddlefish are now being raised in [[Germany]], [[Austria]], the [[Czech Republic]], and the [[Plovdiv]] and [[Vidin]] regions in [[Bulgaria]]. Reproduction was successful in 1988 and 1989, and resulted in the exportation of juvenile paddlefish to [[Romania]] and [[Hungary]]. In May&nbsp;2006, specimens of different sizes and weights were caught by professional fisherman near [[Prahovo]] in the [[Serbia]]n part of the [[Danube River]].<ref name=Lenhardt-Hegediš-etal-2006/>

In 1988, fertilized paddlefish eggs and larvae from Missouri hatcheries were first introduced into China.<ref name=Lenhardt-Hegediš-etal-2006/> Since that time, China imports approximately 4.5&nbsp;million fertilized eggs and larvae every year from hatcheries in Russia, and the United States.  Some of the paddlefish are polycultured in carp ponds, and sold to restaurants while others are cultured for brood stock and caviar production. China has also exported paddlefish to Cuba, where they are farmed for caviar production.<ref name=Mims/>