Oklahoma Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

09/16/2026

08/31/2026

While the office’s primary focus remains invasive carp monitoring in the Red River, we also collaborate with conservation partners to monitor threatened species such as the Leopard Darter in southeastern Oklahoma’s Little River drainage.

These efforts help identify and prioritize stream crossings that impede fish passage. Through partnerships with organizations such as the Ouachita National Forest, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can leverage National Fish Passage Program funding to replace or modify priority crossings with fish-friendly designs, improving aquatic connectivity and access to habitat for Leopard Darters and other native fish.

Please enjoy the attached video, produced by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, highlighting these collaborative conservation efforts.

https://youtu.be/KtQCxN1ioMA?si=x-pi6GydrrVbAqyZ

08/26/2026

For most fisheries biologists, not catching the fish you’re targeting would make for a disappointing day.

For our invasive carp recruitment monitoring crew, it’s the best possible outcome.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) recently tagged along on the Red River to see how our staff are sampling for the earliest evidence of reproduction. Check out their latest Outdoor Oklahoma Journal feature to learn more!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is monitoring the Red River to learn more about invasive carp and conducting early detection sampling for carp larvae.

08/18/2026

What happens beneath the Red River doesn’t always stay beneath the Red River… 👷🏻‍♂️

If you didn’t know Silver Carp were present throughout the river downstream of the Denison Dam, you’re not alone. These invasive fish are famous for launching themselves out of the water when startled by boats, often striking boats and the people in or around them.

Our staff are on the river year-round, working alongside anglers and landowners to better understand their distribution, movement, reproduction, and recruitment, removing them when possible.

Have you seen Silver or Bighead Carp on the Red River or its tributaries? Let us know!

04/06/2026

Long before the Red River had dams, airboats, or anglers, it was home to species that have survived since the age of dinosaurs. Several of those ancient lineages are still here today, quietly cruising beneath the surface.

⏳ So…who came first?

🥇 Shovelnose Sturgeon lineage (~200+ million years)
🥈 Alligator Gar (~150 million years)
🥉 American Paddlefish (~125 million years)
🐢 Alligator Snapping Turtle (~90 million years)

04/02/2026

Invasive carp found in Red River, how you can prevent them from spreading

STORY --> https://www.kxii.com/2026/04/01/invasive-carp-found-red-river-how-you-can-prevent-them-spreading/

04/01/2026

Quiet on social doesn’t mean quiet in the field 👀

On the Red River below Denison Dam since last March:
• 19 invasive carp tagged with transmitters (8 Silver, 11 Bighead)
• 9 additional receiver stations deployed

These fish are now doing the reporting for us, giving us a clearer picture of movement, habitat use, and when conditions may be right for spawning. That insight helps guide how we and our partners manage invasive carp populations on the river.

Big thanks to the anglers, landowners, and partners who continue to support this work. We couldn’t do it without you!

02/25/2026

02/17/2026

ODWC intern positions

📣We're hiring 📣 Two streams interns who will be based at the Porter field office!

Duties will include fish sampling, grounds and equipment maintenance and more! To apply, send a filled out intern application to [email protected]

Get the intern application form here:
wildlifedepartment.com/about/careers/internships

02/03/2026

A quick blurb featuring our collaborative project with the Whitney Genetics Lab at the Midwest Fisheries Center!
Monitoring for Bighead Carp and Silver Carp eggs and larvae each summer on the Red River is a full-time job, but new advances in methodologies have allowed our biologists to dramatically expand our sampling area and efforts to detect any evidence of spawning by these invasive fish.