by Dan Burden, content specialist, AgMRC, Iowa State University, djburden@iastate.edu

Profile revised February 2008 by Diane Huntrods, AgMRC, Iowa State University.


Overview 

The distribution of the golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) includes virtually all of the United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. Additionally, it occurs west to the Dakotas and Texas. The preferred habitat of golden shiners includes shallow, weedy, quiet regions of lakes and ponds where they move in large schools. Wherever they occur, they are a primary food source for black bass, pike and other game fish. They consume a wide variety of plant and animal matter including filamentous algae, and aquatic and terrestrial insects.

Golden shiners currently are the most important species to the nation’s bait fish industry. Culture of golden shiners consists of importation of a variety of sizes (mainly from Arkansas) or maintenance of breeding stock by vendors for resale as bait fish. A single female may produce up to 200,000 eggs and may spawn more than once during the breeding season.

In 2005, 76 farms in the United States raised golden shiners, posting total sales of $17.1 million. Arkansas remains the home of the largest number of farms, but that number declined from 35 in 1998 to 22 in 2005. Likewise, the number of farms in Maine producing golden shiners declined from 26 (1998) to 2 (2005). However, the number of farms in Minnesota expanded from 5 to 14 during the same period, making that state the second largest producer of golden shiners. (Source: Census of Aquaculture 2005, USDA, October 2006.)  

(The following excerpt is from Baitfish Production in the United States, G.J. Burtle, L.W. Dorman, and D.L. Gray, undated; http://www.forestry.uga.edu/warnell/service/library/index.php3?docID=37&docHistory[]=1&docHistory[]=17. Please refer to the original for additional production- and marketing-related information.)

In 1950, I.F. Anderson began construction of ponds to raise baitfish in Loanoke County, Arkansas. He used local, wild golden shiners as broodstock. About one year later, two commercial fishermen, Harry Saul and Robert Treadway, quit trapping wild fish from the White River, constructed ponds in Prairie County, Arkansas and started baitfish farming. They purchased their original broodstock from a Missouri hatchery.

The baitfish produced by hatcheries were superior to those trapped from the river. They were hardy and could be graded to various sizes according to use. Commercial production also meant more reliable supplies of fishes.

Since 1950, the baitfish industry has expanded. In 1990, there were 27,800 acres in Arkansas. Species propagated included golden shiner, fathead minnow and goldfish. Nearly all baitfishes sold today are produced on commercial farms.

Arkansas produces over half of the nation's baitfishes. Other major baitfish production areas are Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin. Species preference in selected regions of the United States indicates golden shiners are most popular in the southeast, Southwest and West. Feeder fish markets are developing in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states for use in striped bass and hybrid striped bass culture.

Although markets for baitfishes are increasing, there is a concern that supply may be increasing faster. Improved production techniques, such as feeding, allow more fish to be raised on less acreage. Golden shiner production has doubled on many farms. Because of declining groundwater levels in some areas, more efficient production methods and water conservation practices must be used by baitfish producers.


Profile created July 2004 and revised February 2008.