Page 40 - September/October Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

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pon the development of the Paddlefish Research Center in 2008, the Department quickly
realized that running the PRC to its full potential required a lot of passion and long hours.
Snag anglers from across the United States made the journey to Miami, Oklahoma, the
Uself-proclaimed “Spoonbill Capital of the World”, to participate in an annual tradition of
springtime snagging for paddlefish. The Department seized the opportunity to better manage this
important species in Oklahoma while providing a fish cleaning service to the anglers, collecting unprec-
edented amounts of fisheries data for sustainable stock assessment, and salvaging roe to make caviar

— the funds from which help support research and conservation programs statewide. Initially, these
efforts were made possible only through the selfless assistance of our fellow Department employees,
especially Fisheries Division. However, this wasn’t a permanent solution and to effectively staff the PRC
required a rethink. The PRC appeared to have massive research and education potential… what if it
were staffed by people who would most benefit from this? Thus spawned the PRC Internship program.

GOALS OF THE PRC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM for college credit for their internship experience and we

From its inaugural year in 2011, the PRC Internship pro- have encouraged interns to pursue special projects while
gram had two goals in mind. First, was to provide an edu- at the PRC to benefit their college curriculum.
cational experience for collegiate individuals. The PRC was The second goal of the program was to establish rela-
an ideal location for college students and aspiring natural tionships with regional universities for future paddle-
resource career-seekers to get some hands-on experience. fish research collaborations. The paddlefish specimens
Thinking back to my days donated by anglers to
adrift as an undergraduate, the PRC provide endless
“ The PRC is a great place to observe anglers and
an internship truly opened opportunities for research
biologists working together to not only preserve
my eyes and set me on a and investigation and we
a fishery, but also improve our knowledge base
career path to where I am make every effort to uti-
on the requirements a species needs to survive.”
today. The most effective lize these specimens to
and satisfied employee — Nate Copeland, Geographic Information their full potential. Other
is one who is consistently Systems engineer, Gaia GPS state, federal, tribal, and
inspired and challenged international entities have
by work that they enjoy. College student interns fit this reached out to the PRC for assistance in collecting data,
dynamic well and serve as the vibrant, passionate, and which we have always obliged. Essentially, many of
inquisitive public face of the PRC. Interns learn firsthand these data collections, or mini-research projects, have
from Department employees about fisheries management, been performed by PRC interns. Because there is far
regulations, data collection and analyses, and other tech- more than enough data to go around, as it were, the
nical skills – all valuable experiences in their chosen career PRC and paddlefish management benefit by inspiring
path of natural resources. Some interns have also opted-in others to collaborate on projects. The list of completed

38 OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA