Longnose Gar

Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus) inhabit in water bodies throughout the eastern half of North America. Although they are generally classified as freshwater fish, they can also be found in brackish and saltwater areas. Gar are often regarded as nuisance fish by anglers and are rarely regulated. We frequently observe Longnose Gar as bycatch during sturgeon sampling, but little research has focused on this species in Georgia or elsewhere. Our goal is to investigate abundance and habitat use of Longnose Gar in the Altamaha River estuary. Since 2019, we have been conducting a mark-recapture study on these fish. To date, we have marked over 300 individual fish, with no recaptures. We also record location and environmental variables at the site of each Longnose Gar capture.