Lake Sturgeon Investigations in Lake Huron

Background

In 1995, the Lake Huron Committee (LHC) published the Fish-Community Objectives for Lake Huron (pdf file) in which the stated objectives for lake sturgeon were 1) to increase the abundance of lake sturgeon to the extent that the species is removed from its threatened status in U.S. waters, and 2) to maintain or rehabilitate populations in Canadian waters. To address these objectives, the Lake Huron Technical Committee (LHTC) completed an update on the present status of the principal fish stocks in Lake Huron, including the lake sturgeon. Unfortunately, little is known regarding the current status of this species in either U.S. or Canadian waters of Lake Huron, making development of plans for recovery difficult. read more >

Recent Activities

New! Lake Huron PIT Tag Detection Enhanced

In August 2008, Fishery Biologist Adam Kowalski received a grant for $17,575 from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust to purchase PIT tag readers and tagging equipment for commercial fishers in Lake Huron and western Lake Erie. Currently, Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) partners with nine state-licensed commercial fishers operating 14 vessels primarily in Saginaw Bay that record bio-data and externally tag lake sturgeon encountered as by-catch in their trap nets. read more >

New! Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Website Updated

The Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon website (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/sturgeon) was updated during May and June 2009. The site was established in 1999 to provide a forum for lake sturgeon restoration and management activities throughout the Great Lakes Basin. It contains information from numerous agencies working on lake sturgeon management, research, conservation, and restoration in the Great Lakes basin, as well as links to other lake sturgeon associated websites. During April 2009, the site received 24,350 visits and averaged 156 visitors per day. The site is currently managed by Anjanette Bowen with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office. read more >

New! Lake Sturgeon Tag Identification Database Contains Over 18,000 Tag Numbers

During the month of February 2009, Fishery Biologists Adam Kowalski and Anjanette Bowen updated the Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Tag Identification Database (TID) and web site. Development of the database was funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust to house lake sturgeon tag information such as tag type, tag number, tag location, and tagger contact information. The searchable database has been operational since 2006, and now contains information on over 18,000 passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and over 150 external tag sequences. read more >

Resource Materials

Report - Spawning Evaluation in the Saginaw River Watershed 2005-2006. (pdf - 717 Kb)

Report - Lake Sturgeon Status in US Waters of Lake Huron, Reported by Commercial Fisheries 2004-2005. (pdf - 173 Kb)

Report - Lake Sturgeon Status in US Waters of Lake Huron, Reported by Commercial Fisheries 2003. (pdf - 485 Kb)

view more reports >

Useful Websites

Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Tag Identification Database Website - http://www.glfc.org/sturgeontag/

Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Website - http://www.fws.gov/midwest/sturgeon/

---