Special Concern status in Canada since the 1980s due to contiguous declines that have also been evident in the northern extent of their US range since the 1970s. Surprisingly, several longstanding MN populations are composed almost totally (85-90%) of individuals hatched before 1940, while harvest limits do not exist in these same areas - this despite the rapidly growing new sport of modernized night bowfishing that exploits this species. Indeed, the rise of bowfishing was found to be coincident with steep declines in bigmouth buffalo. The fingerlings are susceptible to a parasite, Lernea cyprinacae, but most are unaffected by the time they reach a length of 30 mm. They are anchor parasites that attach themselves between scale margins and fin insertions. The real problem is a secondary infection that may arise due to these parasites, especially in poor water conditions. The protozoan Epistylis and bacteria Flavobacterium columnare are both related to serious parasite infestations. The bigmouth has been seen to hybridize in the wild with smallmouth buffalo, and it is possible that some fish identified as black buffalo are indeed these hybrids. The hybridization does not seem to be negatively affecting their populations but makes it difficult to determine how many hybrids and how many black buffalo are actually in certain reservoirs. The fish is vulnerable in shallow water and is often captured by bow and arrow. It is commercially caught on trotlines, setlines, hoop and trammel nets, and seines. There are currently no found specific management plans for the bigmouth buffalo either privately or governmentally funded in the US despite the urgent need. In some places like the southern US, progeny have been reared in hatcheries. Records On June 21, 2013, Noah LaBarge (13 years old) caught the Wisconsin state record bigmouth buffalo fish. It measured and weighed . It was caught on an 8-lb-test line on the Wisconsin River at Devil's Elbow, which is on the north end of the Petenwell Flowage. It was officially recognized to be the new world record by the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as both 8-lb-line class and all tackle. At Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Jeff Wilkins caught a record bigmouth buffalo while fishing on Percy Priest Lake. The fish, caught in the Seven Points area of the lake on March 31, 2010, was in length. According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, it took 35 minutes for Wilkins to reel