Top Gars Not Elsewhere Included Fishing Countries

Gars, belonging to the family Lepisosteidae, are ancient, elongated freshwater fish known for their long jaws filled with sharp teeth and their armored, ganoid scales. While gars are primarily native to North and Central America, especially in the United States and Mexico, the category "Gars Not Elsewhere Included" in fisheries statistics often refers to catches of lesser-known or non-specific gar species outside the main commercial types. The United States, particularly in the Mississippi River basin and southern states, leads in both recreational and incidental commercial harvests of gars, with species such as alligator gar and longnose gar being notable. Mexico also has a tradition of gar fishing, especially in the Gulf Coast region. In these countries, gars are valued for their meat in some local cuisines and are also sought after by sport anglers for their size and fighting ability. However, gars are not a major global commercial fishery, and their harvest is generally small-scale, often as a bycatch or for local consumption, with conservation efforts in place in some areas to protect declining populations, particularly of the alligator gar.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.