Formed in 1989, the technical committee of Red River Fisheries was to oversee the shared stocks of fish in this river. The goals included determination of populations of the fishes, come up with protection measures, develop standardized assessment on fisheries and develop future action plans. The red river catfish guide was adopted by both states that are around it.

Among the recommendations was a special regulation of protecting the population of the fish from large over-harvests. The possession limit of catfishes was set to a maximum of five with only one fish to exceed twenty four inches. This was made in line with the North Dakota 1990 fishing and the 1991 for Minnesota.

So as to make determination of the populations of the bigger catfishes in this water course, a series of estimation of the populations was done. The sampling procedures were intensely conducted partly to evaluate impacts on 1990 regulations of channel catfish and the other part was set to determine the fish population on the waterway and the populations size structure of the catfishes in Red River.

In an aim to check harvesting rates, usage by residents and non-residents alike, location and season fishing usually occurs among others, an anglers survey got carried on by both states based on the waterway. The two states undertook creels for about four months at summer and again during open water months. This was done to get to know on the impact which was as a result of experimental spring fishing.

In the 1998 springs, the procedures to assess the impacts that were to result by opening the river for fishing to the general public began. Prior to this, this waterway had been restricted in an aim to avert overfishing of specific species. So as to monitor on the numbers harvested, spring fishing adopted a series of restraints on quotas and sizes at the years between 2000 and 2004. The conservation officers of both states were mandated to put into effect these regulations.

Data from the survey which had been carried out showed no very insignificant or no bearing at all in the population. This was despite the obstructive limits set on springs and the liberal limits that had been enforced for the remaining months. The North Dakota unit on game and fish proposed an ever seasonal and daily proposal and a limit on possession. To check that it met the objectives, the new regulation was to get evaluated.

From the period of 1995 to 2001, the North Dakota department on game and fish collaborated with the Minnesota DNR in carrying out routine sampling of this Red water way. This whole project was aimed at determining the populations of this fish in general, the number and size structure of the various species and also serves in developing trend line that checked for changes in the population of the catfish.

The committee has taken steps in standardizing the guidelines on Red waterway in a bid to make fishing highly user friendly. Fishing regulation of any kind is to be based on logical biology, should be enforceable and ought to be evaluated in order to ensure fishing is getting better and very enjoyable.