JEFFERSON CITY — Oops. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) may have jumped the gun when it said genetic testing completed on an alleged record breaking gar had confirmed the fish as a pure shortnose.
Now officials at the Department of Conservation say more tests are underway to determine the species of the fish.
“The genetic testing for this gar was completed by a Missouri university,” said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “Their initial results showed the fish to be a pure shortnose, however, they are proceeding with additional genetic tests.”
MDC confirms the previous shortnose gar alternative records method of 13-pounds, 1-ounce still stands. That fish was taken from Mark Twain Lake in 2006.