Biographical Information

Aloisi, Doug, USFWS - Genoa National Fish Hatchery
Biographical Sketch: Genoa currently rears 3 different strains of lake sturgeon and is involved with restoration projects that supply eggs, fry, fingerlings, and yearlings to 2 state conservation agencies, three federal agencies, and 2 tribes.

Amaral, Stephen, Alden Research Laboratory, Inc.
Biographical Sketch: I am a fisheries biologist with Alden Research laboratory, Inc. located in Holden, MA. As part of Alden’s Environmental Group, I have conducted extensive research on upstream and downstream fish passage technologies during the last 10 years. Several of these studies have included biological effectiveness evaluations with sturgeon species (white, shortnose, and lake sturgeon). Alden has a reputation of developing innovative fish passage solutions and we have great interest in helping to develop new ways to effectively provide sturgeon with safe downstream passage at hydro projects.

Archambo, Brenda, Sturgeon For Tomorrow
Biographical Sketch: Brenda Archambo is the founder of the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon For Tomorrow (SFT), a grass roots non-profit corporation. Brenda successfully argued for allowing a minimal harvest of lake sturgeon from the Black Lake population. She and SFT members convinced state fisheries managers that the cultural importance of sturgeon spearing could be used to promote efforts to recover sustainable populations of this majestic fish. Brenda was influential in developing and organizing a harvest tag lottery for sturgeon spearing season on Black Lake.
Archambo has logged thousands of volunteer hours conducting scientific research, coordinating a volunteer Sturgeon Guarding Program, created a Sturgeon Advisory Council, facilitates presentations, tours and field trips to view spawning sturgeon and organizes fundraising initiatives to support research, conservation and education programming.

Auer, Nancy A., Michigan Technological University
Biographical Sketch: My interest in sturgeon started in the late 1970s when I visited the Wisconsin lab [where Fred Binkowski first began rearing sturgeon] to view material for the Great Lakes larval fish key (Auer, ed. 1982). After seeing those young fish I was hooked. When I moved to upper Michigan in 1981 I sought out opportunities to work with lake sturgeon. In 1987 I began an investigation into the population status of lake sturgeon as they utilize the Sturgeon River in the Lake Superior watershed for spawning. The study immediately focused on operation of a small hydro facility which impacted sturgeon movement and spawning. In 1990 the facility was relicensed and now operates at near ROR which has enhanced spawning success and movement of the population. We are now (2004) beginning to see the fruits of the labors of relicensing as more untagged and sub-adult fish are being encountered in the river and surrounding watershed areas. I have worked with lake sturgeon in the Sturgeon River and Ontonagon Rivers and several Lake Michigan tributaries. I have prepared or contributed to peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, was editor of the Lake Superior Rehab Plan for Lake Sturgeon in Lake Superior (2002) and have supported 7 Master’s students on research funding directly related to lake sturgeon.
- My current research work focuses on the use of split-beam, side-scan hydroacoustic assessment of the spawning lake sturgeon population in the Sturgeon River, assisting in the assessment of Lake Michigan sturgeon stocks in upper peninsula tributaries with Ed Baker of the Michigan DNR and work with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians on larval to age-1 lake sturgeon distribution in the Manistee River.
Bauman, John, Lake Superior State University
Biographical Sketch:
- Senior in pursuit of a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management
-Two Summers of lake sturgeon experience
-Adult set-line survey (St. Mary’s River, Michigan)
-Larval drift – stream side rearing facility operator (Manistee, Michigan)
-juvenile visual survey
-Juvenile set-line survey
-Extensive literature review of lake sturgeon, as well as other species of sturgeon

Baker, Ed, Michigan DNR - Marquette Fisheries Station
Biographical Sketch: I am involved in lake sturgeon research in the Sturgeon River, Black Lake, Green Bay, and other locations in Michigan. Current research focuses on lake sturgeon distribution and abundance, early life history, stocking, genetics, etc. I am a member of the Lake Michigan Lake Sturgeon Task Group and the Lake Superior Lake Sturgeon Committee.

Boase, James, USFWS - Alpena Fishery Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: Since 1997 I have been conducting multiple studies integrating ultrasonic telemetry and external tagging to determine movement patterns by sturgeon from stocks in Saginaw Bay, Southern Lake Huron, St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Western Lake Erie. In addition I am interested in the application these types of studies to inter-jurisdictional and inter-basin management of sturgeon. Working with USGS I have been looking at the response of lake sturgeon (and other species of fish) to three artificial spawning substrates in the Detroit River and future use of these substrates to other locations in the Great Lakes. In 2004 I began studying habitat requirements of juvenile (less than four years old) lake sturgeon in Southern Lake Huron and the North Channel of the St. Clair River. In 2005-2007 I will be working with Ohio DNR to determining if a remnant stock of sturgeon exists in the Maumee River and will conduct similar work with Michigan DNR in the Saginaw River.

Bos, David, Purdue University
Biographical Sketch: My work centers on using molecular genetics to research evolution, ecology and conservation in a variety of organisms. I am beginning a research project that is designed to identify gender-specific DNA markers for lake sturgeon. We will isolate previously unknown segments of DNA specific to one gender but not the other, and develop a rapid DNA-based assay that will allow us to rapidly determine the sex of many individuals. Upon completion of this research, we anticipate that a number of small tissue samples from fish of any age can be sent to the laboratory and their sex determined later that same day. This work will provide conservation and fisheries managers with the tools necessary to carry out gender-biased stocking programs or easily determine basic population parameters such as the sex-ratio of any age class.

Bott, Kristin, Michigan State University - Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife
Biographical Sketch: After graduating from the University of Montana (Missoula) in May 2003, I began my MS at Michigan State University (working with Kim Scribner) in January 2004. My master’s research deals with lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), using genetic techniques to better understand population dynamics and structure of lake sturgeon populations in and around the Great Lakes. My thesis will focus on three areas : (1) A mixed-stock analysis of samples from Green Bay and other areas in the Lake Michigan basin – past research (DeHaan 2003) has found that genetic structure is present throughout the Great Lakes, and individuals can be assigned to both a basin and a river of origin base on genetic information. (2) Estimating the number of reproductives in a river(s) in Michigan; using genetic information and statistical analysis, we can infer the number of breeders in a given year.. (3) An analysis of size/age-based recruit strength for different sturgeon populations in the Great Lakes (this portion of the project will be done in close collaboration with Robert F Elliott of the USFWS). As part of my master’s, I’m participating in the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior (EEBB) program offered through the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Bryson, David, USFWS - Cortland Field Office
Biographical Sketch: I work as a Senior Fish & Wildlife Biologist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's New York Field Office (Ecological Services). My primary duties have involved hydropower development, aquatic habitat instream flow needs and fish passage. I have assisted the Lower Great Lakes Fisheries Resource Office in lake sturgeon sampling. In addition, I assisted the Service's Region 4 by developing "A Strategic Plan for Restoration of Lake Sturgeon in the Tennessee River Basin" and assisted with young-of-year marking. Recently, I participated in the Lake Sturgeon Workshop for Lake St. Francis and Surrounding Waters.

Burzynski, Tom, Wisconsin DNR - Milwaukee
Biographical Sketch: Our work unit is involved in lake sturgeon reintroduction to the Milwaukee River and nearshore areas of Lake Michigan. Current work involves stocking of fingerlings and yearlings, along with the transfer of adult lake sturgeon from the Wolf River near Shawano, Wisconsin to the Milwaukee River. Adult sturgeons are to be radio-tagged and tracked in the Milwaukee River, its tributaries and the Milwaukee Harbor. At present, we are tracking the initial adult stocking of seven adult fish transferred in fall 2003.

Carlson, Doug, New York State DEC
Biographical Sketch: My interests in lake sturgeon in NY are primarily as a coordinator of others doing studies. This species is threatened in NYS, and my job in the Endangered Fish Project allows me to put together and carry out the recovery plan. In the future I will also formalize any management objectives beyond our recovery efforts. I have worked with NYSDEC for 24 years and specialize in fishes outside the realm of our sportfish management.

Carmichael, Kim, Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre
Biographical Sketch: The A/OFRC works collaboratively with First Nation communities across the great lakes Basin on fisheries initiatives including lake sturgeon assessment. In recent years the A/OFRC has sponsored lake sturgeon work in the Mississaugi River, Spanish River, the North Channel of Georgian Bay and Lake Nipissing.

Chiotti, Justin A., Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
Biographical Sketch: For the last two years I have been studying lake sturgeon in the Big Manistee River, MI. My work has included using egg mats to determine spawning locations, larval drift and quantifying juvenile and spawning habitat using underwater video techniques.

Chong, Steve, OMNR - Upper Great Lakes Management Unit - Lake Superior
Biographical Sketch:
- Involved with a lake sturgeon telemetry study on the Goulais River aimed at identifying critical habitat
- Conduct index netting assessment projects in Eastern Lake Superior which regularly capture young/juvenile sturgeon: 12 lake sturgeon were caught in 2 over night net sets in Our August 2004 survey in Zone 34 and were sampled, PIT tagged, and released

Cox, Doug, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Biographical Sketch: The work the tribe is doing on the reservation involves a lake sturgeon reintroduction program. The Tribe has been moving sturgeon onto the reservation since 1995 in at attempt to gain a self sustaining population. The transferred fish have been fitted with radio transmitters to monitor their movement in the Wolf River. Sturgeon have also been stocked in a reservation lake to provide a harvestable population for tribal members. The USFWS has been aiding in the assessments of the stocked sturgeon.

Cwalinski, Tim, Michigan DNR - Gaylord
Biographical Sketch:
Sturgeon trapping/tagging in northern lower peninsula river.
What are appropriate harvest numbers for inland lake?
Continuation of stocking program in other MI waters? Or not?
Genetic possibilities of stocking, are they overrated?

Daugherty, Dan J., Purdue University - Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Biographical Sketch: Dan is currently a doctoral candidate in the Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University. His current research involves the development of habitat availability models in historically important lake sturgeon spawning tributaries in the northern Lake Michigan basin and the implementation of this information into restoration decision-making processes. Dan has also been involved with projects aiming to determine the present status of lake sturgeon stocks in both the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior basins during his undergraduate and graduate studies.

Desson, Ed, Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre
Biographical Sketch: The A/OFRC works collaboratively with First Nation communities across the great lakes Basin on fisheries initiatives including lake sturgeon assessment. In recent years the A/OFRC has sponsored lake sturgeon work in the Mississaugi River, Spanish River, the North Channel of Georgian Bay and Lake Nipissing.

Donofrio, Mike, Wisconsin DNR - Peshtigo
Biographical Sketch: Involved with lake sturgeon management and assessments through FERC projects and in Menominee River and other Green Bay tributaries

Drauch, Andrea, Purdue University
Biographical Sketch: I am a MS student working under Gene Rhodes at Purdue University. I am most interested in the application of population genetic techniques to the management of lake sturgeon populations across their historical range. For my MS thesis project I will be determining the genetic composition of the only naturally occurring lake sturgeon population remaining in the Ohio River drainage system. I will also be evaluating the success of lake sturgeon reintroductions in the Mississippi River and Missouri River drainages based on genetic criteria.

Echevarria, Carlos, USFWS - Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery
Biographical Sketch: Member of the Lake Sturgeon Recovery Team for the Upper Tennessee River, TN and the Coosa River System in Georgia. Involved in spawning, propagation and culture of lake sturgeon. Warm Springs NFH Hatchery Manager.

Edde, Jerry W., USFS - Ottawa National Forest
Biographical Sketch: I am a fisheries biologist working for the US Forest Service for 26 years. I first became involved with lake sturgeon when the Ottawa National Forest supported the pioneer research by Nancy Auer on lake sturgeon spawning and movements (throughout Lake Superior and the Sturgeon River spawning grounds). I was involved early on during the FERC reliscensing of the Prickett Reservoir power station and resolution of an operation protocal which would minimize impact on sturgeon. My interest is in continuing cooperative work with Michigan Tech, Michigan DNR, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and UPPCO toward the complete recovery of lake sturgeon in Lake Superior, particularly the critically important existing and historic spawning areas and spawning populations.

Edwards, Andy, 1854 Authority
Biographical Sketch: A recent TWG award to the Grand Portage Band will fund lake sturgeon work in the Pigeon and St. Louis Rivers. Telemetry gear will be used to monitor juvenile and sub-adult sturgeon in the St. Louis River throughout the year to identify and delineate habitats utilized by these lifestages. Project will encompass two full years of field work. Pigeon River work will be similar in scope but at a smaller scale and may include older fish depending on what fish are actually captured.
The project will be cooperative in nature, with 1854 Authority and Fond du Lac conducting the majority of the field work in the St. Louis River, along with technical assistance and consultation from the USGS, USFWS, and MN and WI DNRs. Work in the Pigeon River will be conducted primarily by Grand Portage staff with assistance from the USFWS and 1854 Authority. At this point, field work is anticipated to begin in the early summer of 2005.

Eggold, Bradley T., Wisconsin DNR - Milwaukee
Biographical Sketch: Currently, I am the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources member on the Lake Sturgeon Steering Committee and a Fisheries Biologist/Supervisor for 14 years. I am responsible for coordinating lake sturgeon efforts in Lake Michigan for Wisconsin. Our Milwaukee work unit is involved in lake sturgeon reintroduction to the Milwaukee River. Current work involves stocking of fingerling and yearling lake sturgeon, along with the transfer of adult lake sturgeon from the Wolf River near Shawano, Wisconsin to the Milwaukee River.

Elliott, Robert, USFWS - Green Bay Fishery Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: Major interest and involvement in the status assessment of remnant populations of lake sturgeon throughout Lake Michigan with emphasis on southern Green Bay, and in the development and implementation of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for Lake Sturgeon in Lake Michigan through the auspices of the Lake Michigan Committee of the GLFC.

Lake Sturgeon Interest and Involvement:
US Fish & Wildlife Service lead for lake sturgeon assessment, rehabilitation and restoration in Lake Michigan, 1997-present.
Chair and Steering Committee, Lake Michigan Lake Sturgeon Task Group, 2003-present.
Member, USFWS Great Lakes Basin Lake Sturgeon Committee, 1998-present.
Project Manager and Co-PI – Status Assessment of Remnant Lake Sturgeon Populations in Lake Michigan, 2001-present.
Co-PI – Characterization of Early Life History of Lake Sturgeon in the Peshtigo River and Green Bay, 2002-2004.
Steering Committee for GLFT sponsored Research and Assessment Needs Workshop, 2000, and Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Coordination Meetings, 2002 and 2004.

Fajfer, Steve, Wisconsin DNR - Wild Rose Fish Hatchery
Biographical Sketch:
-Lake Sturgeon spawning and propagation methods.

Fisher, Brant, Indiana DNR - Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area
Biographical Sketch: Non-game aquatic biologist with Indiana DNR studying lake sturgeon in southern Indiana rivers for last 8 years. Conducted telemetry study last two years. Interested in genetics of our southern IN population (remnant Ohio River population) in comparison to Great Lakes populations.

Forsythe, Patrick S., Michigan State University - Department of Zoology
Biographical Sketch: I am currently enrolled as a doctoral student in the Department of Zoology at Michigan State University (expected to complete in 2007). Our project involves collecting information on the fundamental and yet misunderstood aspects of the lake sturgeon early life history and reproductive ecology. Information regarding inter-annual variation in natural recruitment and of natural environmental or biotic agents that are responsible for inter-annual variation is lacking. In our study, we seek to determine the importance of potential barriers to lake sturgeon recruitment such as fertilization success, egg deposition and egg and larval predation. We also seek to determine the importance of adult body size, age, and timing of spawning events to reproductive success and the contributions of adult spawners to annual recruitment. Our study site is Black Lake, MI which is an ideal system for conducting this type of research because the adult population is small (approx 550), adults spawn in a single stream that drains into Black Lake and few adults (80-120) spawn annually. Understanding the importance of factors affecting lake sturgeon recruitment, survival, and philopatry will be critical to designs of restoration or reintroduction programs in Michigan drainages of the Great Lakes.

Friday, Mike, OMNR - Upper Great Lakes Management Unit - Lake Superior
Biographical Sketch:
Kaministiquia River: Issue with dewatering traditional spawning area. Presently monitoring the impact of flow stability on access and spawning success.

Black Sturgeon River: Issue is a lack of information concerning population size and seasonal distribution and movement. Initiatives include spring population estimates and radio telemetry work utilizing a data logger situated at the mouth of the river.

Goulais River: Issue is a lack of information concerning habitat utilization and seasonal distribution and movement. Addressing issue by utilizing radio telemetry and a shoreline based data logger situated on the river.

Geddes, Chris, University of Michigan and Michigan DNR - Institute for Fisheries Research
Biographical Sketch: The Great Lakes GIS Project aims to be a standardized, habitat-based spatial data repository for scientists and managers interested in Great Lakes fisheries. As Project Coordinator of the Great Lakes GIS Project, I am interested in fisheries-related data acquisition and management, as well as GIS applications relevant to Great Lakes scientists and managers. I have applied my training in ecology and spatial analysis to research questions involving fish-habitat relationships and to management-related questions involving data visualization, spatial data analysis, and GIS and spatial analysis education. I am located at the Institute for Fisheries Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Gendron, Marc, Environnement Illimité Inc.
Biographical Sketch: Marc Gendron, senior biologist and partner in the firm Environnement Illimité inc., has been specializing in the study of fish and fish habitat since 1982, and more specifically on the impact of various projects with respect to the Federal and Provincial legislation regarding fish habitat protection. Mr. Gendron has led a number of studies on the effects of hydroelectric infrastructures and generating facility construction on lake sturgeon populations from St-Lawrence river and other rivers of James Bay territory. Among these studies, the ones most significant ones pertaining to lake sturgeon are the following:

Project manager for a monitoring study of fish spawning and rearing (especially on sturgeon) on a man-made spawning area in the reach downstream from the Rivière-des-Prairies power plant (synthesis report 1982 1988 for Hydro-Québec).
Project manager for an impact assessment study of the hydroelectric development of the Nottaway, Broadback and Rupert rivers area on fish life and its exploitation. NBR Project. (for Hydro-Québec, 1993).
Project manager for a study on lake sturgeon reproduction in the reaches downstream from the Beauharnois power plant and Pointe-des-Cascades dam (for Hydro-Québec, 1993).
Project manager for a follow-up study on sturgeon artificial spawning bed downstream the Beauharnois power plant (for Hydro-Québec, 2002).
Project manager for the impact assessment study of the Rupert River diversion project on the sturgeon communities of more than 300 km of river systems (for Hydro-Québec, 2002-2004).
Project manager for the design of aquatic habitats, especially for sturgeons, in order to attenuate and compensate the effects of the creation of the Eastmain reservoir and generating facility (for the SEBJ, 2002-2004).

Greenwood, Susan, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Biographical Sketch: The Lake Units has completed 4 years of spawning assessment on the Goulais River. (2000-2004) and contributed Goulais River population genetic tissue to the Great Lakes Fishery Trust sponsored project to develop a management plan for lake sturgeon within the Great Lakes basin based on population genetics structure.

In 2004 initiated an acoustic telemetry study to monitor sturgeon use of the Goulais
River, relative to the spawning period. Habitat information will be collected in future years. The Goulais River is one of the few remaining large Lake Superior tributaries with no man-made impediments to sturgeon movement and little if any significant habitat degradation.

Greil, Roger W, Lake Superior State University
Biographical Sketch: Lake Sturgeon assessment work on the St Mary River, with the use of set
lines. Started in 2000. Caught and tagged 92 sturgeon so far. We will
have a poster on this work at this meeting.

Gunderman, Brian, Michigan DNR - West Lake Superior Management Unit
Biographical Sketch: During 1999-2000, I conducted lake sturgeon status assessments (population estimates and age structure) in the Manistee River (Michigan). From 2002 through spring 2004, I worked as a fishery biologist for the USFWS in Green Bay, Wisconsin. During this time, I conducted lake sturgeon research in Green Bay and surrounding tributaries (Fox, Oconto, Peshtigo, and Menominee Rivers) as part of a basin-wide effort to determine the status of lake sturgeon in Lake Michigan. Riverine work for this project included spawning run assessments, larval drift evaluations, and qualitative estimation of spawning habitat abundance. I also participated in open water trap net assessments in Green Bay, and was able to derive rough abundance estimates for Green Bay from this data. My current position is fishery management biologist for the West Lake Superior Management Unit. The Ontonagon River and Sturgeon River lake sturgeon populations fall within my management unit.
Haxton, Tim, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Biographical Sketch: I have been working with lake sturgeon since 1996. My main focus is the impact of waterpower management on lake sturgeon in large rivers. I have been examining their life history traits (growth, maturity, population dynamics), worked on population assessment techniques, assessed spawning populations and more recently, have been attempting to validation a HSI model.

Hayes, Jennifer, State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry
Biographical Sketch:
Lake sturgeon research in St. Lawrence River
Diet study to determine zebra mussel consumption
Juvenile telemetry studies to determine habitat use
Adult telemetry studies to identify spawning habitat
Population dynamics of stocks below the FDR Power Project

Hendry, Charles, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Biographical Sketch:
- Aquatic Specialist with Northeast Science & Information Section since 1994
- Job duties focused largely with river-related issues
- Current focus on science support for water management planning – dam lease renewals
- Recent sturgeon related studies included juvenile lake sturgeon (0 - 1+) habitat studies on Groundhog River
- Assessing habitat suitability of the Mattagami River - re transfer of 50 adult fish to a 40km section of river
- Currently a member of the Provincial Sturgeon Toolkit Committee whose duties involved assessing the sustainability of Ontario's sturgeon sport harvest regulations. New more restrictive harvest regulations are recommended.
- Currently planning a lake sturgeon state-of-the-resource workshop to design a broad-based method for sampling and assessing sturgeon populations across the province. Plan to host workshop in March 2005.

Hogler, Steve, Wisconsin DNR - Mishicot
Biographical Sketch: As one of the Fisheries Biologists located along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline, I am interested in the reintroduction/restoration of Lake Sturgeon into Lake Michigan tributary streams that held historic populations of Lake Sturgeon. Restoration planning has been ongoing since 1995, with a Wisconsin, Lake Michigan Lake Sturgeon plan developed in 2003 and limited stocking also beginning that year.

Holey, Mark, USFWS - Green Bay Fisheries Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: -Project Leader of the Green Bay Fishery Resources Office (FRO). The Green Bay FRO staff is actively involved in all aspects of sturgeon rehabilitation in Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes, from status assessment of remnant stocks in Lake Michigan, assessment of sturgeon genetic diversity, juvenile habitat use, assess available habitat in Green Bay tributaries, and development of a rehabilitation plan for Lake Michigan through the Lake Michigan Committee. Member of the Great lakes Fishery trust’s Scientific Advisory Team that reviews projects for funding.

Holtgren, Marty, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
Biographical Sketch: Have conducted assessments for egg doposition, larval drift, young-of-year, and juvenile lake sturgeon. Juvenile surveys included radio telemetry. In 2004 designed and operated streamside rearing facility on Manistee River.
Jackson, James R, Cornell University - Cornell Biological Field Station
Biographical Sketch: Senior Research Associate. Current sturgeon research includes assessment of feeding, growth, habitat preferences and movements of lake sturgeon stocked into Oneida Lake, New York. The stocking program was initiated by New York DEC in 1995, and currently ~8,200 sturgeon have been stocked in the lake. Current sampling is primarily directed at assessment, but a large scale telemetry study is in the planning stages.

Kapuscinski Kevin, Wisconsin DNR - Green Bay
Biographical Sketch: Before coming to the WI DNR in May 2004, I served as the pallid sturgeon biologist for the state of Montana. I was responsible for overseeing recovery efforts in the Missouri River below Fort Peck Dam, and the lower Yellowstone River. Most of the recovery work revolved around capturing brood for hatchery propagation and monitoring hatchery-reared pallid sturgeon that were released into the wild. I have not conducted any sturgeon work in Wisconsin, but I am interested in monitoring lake sturgeon in the Fox River downstream from Lake Winnebago and in lower Green Bay.

Kennedy, Gregory W., U.S. Geological Survey - Great lake Science Center
Biographical Sketch: (Greg has...) Conducted fish habitat classification and mapping in the Great Lakes for over 15 years and has conducted assessment of lake sturgeon spawning habitat in the St. Clair - Detroit river connecting channel for roughly 5 years. He is currently involved in a collaborative project between the Great Lakes Science Center, Michigan Sea Grant, and others to create and evaluate artificial spawning habitat for lake sturgeon near Belle Isle, MI, in the Detroit river.

Kornely, Greg W., Wisconsin DNR - Peshtigo
Biographical Sketch: I have worked for the State of Wisconsin as a fisheries technician for the past 27 years. Throughout that time I have worked on the lake sturgeon fishery in the Menominee River, the boundary water with Michigan. I have worked on population assessments, gamete collection, telemetry studies, stocking evaluations and monitoring the annual hook and line sturgeon season on the Menominee River.

Kral, Adrienne, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Biographical Sketch: Our agency has monitored incidental captures of lake sturgeon in the Little Traverse Bay Region of Lake Michigan since 2000 since that time we have collected biological data from more than 20 animals and have provided 14 tissues samples for inclusion in the genetic work being done on Lake Michigan. Future work will include targeted assessments to determine the seasonal distribution of lake sturgeon in Little Traverse Bay.

Kynard, Boyd, USGS - Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center
Biographical Sketch:
-My staff and I have conducted experimental studies in 1999-2000 on the early life history of two populations of lake sturgeon comparing them to other North American sturgeon species and showing variation in dispersal style between populations (local adaptation).

-We have conducted seasonal studies of year-0 lake sturgeons for preference of substrate type and water velocity to compare with other North American sturgeons.

-We have conducted experimental studies on response of upstream moving lake sturgeon to fish passage structures and constructed a prototype fish ladder and tested large juvenile lake sturgeon for passage success and behavior during 3 years.

Lenart, Stephen, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Biographical Sketch: Our agency has monitored incidental captures of lake sturgeon in the Little Traverse Bay Region of Lake Michigan since 2000 since that time we have collected biological data from more than 20 animals and have provided 14 tissues samples for inclusion in the genetic work being done on Lake Michigan. Future work will include targeted assessments to determine the seasonal distribution of lake sturgeon in Little Traverse Bay.

Litvinov, Alexandre G., , Lake Superior State University
Biographical Sketch: Assistant Professor, interest in Ectoparasites of Lake sturgeon

Lowe, Janet, Golder Associates Ltd.
Biographical Sketch: - project manager for a sturgeon study in northern Ontario looking at the effect of mine effluent on the sturgeon population in the river, using habitat use pattern of spawning lake sturgeon, Spawning Adult Census and Tagging, Genetic, Size, Sex, and Age Data, Egg/Larval Survival and Development, Egg Number Index

Lyons, Joseph, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin - Environmental Services
Biographical Sketch: The work the tribe is doing on the reservation involves a lake sturgeon reintroduction program. The Tribe has been moving sturgeon onto the reservation since 1995 in at attempt to gain a self sustaining population. The transferred fish have been fitted with radio transmitters to monitor their movement in the Wolf River. Sturgeon have also been stocked in a reservation lake to provide a harvestable population for tribal members. The USFWS has been aiding in the assessments of the stocked sturgeon.

MacKenzie, Chet, Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife
Biographical Sketch: Project leader for Lake Champlain Lake Sturgeon restoration/management project. Involved with designing and carrying out sampling programs for spawning adults, drifting larvae and eggs in Lake Champlain tributaries.

Manny, Bruce, U.S. Geological Survey
Biographical Sketch: Lake sturgeon status and restoration in the Huron/Erie corridor, including collaborative research with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan DNR, and Ontario MNR on lake sturgeon numbers, movements and habitat requirements in these waters since 1999.

McClain, Jerry, USFWS - Alpena Fishery Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: Jerry McClain is the project leader of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) Alpena Fishery Resources Office (FRO) and has been involved in lake sturgeon restoration activities in the Great Lakes since 1992. McClain initiated an interagency collaborative effort to compile status and trends information on lake sturgeon in the Lake Huron to Lake Erie corridor in 1994 and the collaboration has continued to expand. This collaborative effort includes participation by biologists and researchers from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Division of Wildlife, U.S. Geological Survey, Central Michigan University, Ohio State University, Michigan State University and University of California-Davis.

The Alpena FRO provides Service leadership for lake sturgeon recovery efforts in Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River and the western basin of Lake Erie and has been involved in several grant funded projects in these waters.

McDonald, Rod, Dept Fisheries & Oceans (Canada)
Biographical Sketch:
- Adult Sea Lamprey Unit Supervisor at the Sea Lamprey Control Centre
- As such, responsible for trap and fishway operations of the Centre on the Canadian side of the
Great Lakes
- Therefore, a vested interest in any activities which, in the course of permitting fish (including
sturgeon) passage at existing or proposed dams, may influence sea lamprey passage/production
as well.

McNeely, Robert, Upper Great Lakes Management Unit - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Biographical Sketch:
- I am a fisheries technician and I have been associated with the lake sturgeon program with our unit since we began in 2000.
- Sturgeon work for our unit has been directed on the Goulais River which flows into eastern Lake Superior
- Tagging of sturgeon and pelvic fin ray removal for aging has been completed for 3 years
- This past field season (2004) we placed pit tags and performed radio telemetry on spawning lake sturgeon.

Mellow, Rob, Golder Associates
Biographical Sketch: Rob Mellow is a member of the Golder Associates Bioscience group working as an environmental scientist based out of Sudbury, Ontario. His biological skills have focused on performing various biological field studies related to the characterization of water, sediment, fish and aquatic invertebrates at numerous sites throughout Northern Ontario.

Mr. Mellow’s work experiences are often related to the permitting and approval processes required by provincial and federal agencies for the mining and forestry industries.

Recent projects relating to lake sturgeon include habitat utilization and spawning assessments (including an incubation study) of populations in northern Ontario.

Mensch, Gene, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Biographical Sketch: Adult indexing in Keweenaw Bay area. Information/project share with USFWS adult and juvenile by-catch monitoring in KBIC commercial fishery efforts. Interest in joining Lake Superior Steering Committee.

Miller, Glenn, USFWS - Ashland FRO
Biographical Sketch: Fisheries Biologist for Lake Superior. Work details include surveys for lake trout, lake whitefish, coaster brook trout and lake sturgeon. Lake sturgeon surveys include spawning surveys and juvenile surveys on the Bad and White River, Ashland County, WI, and surveys in Ontario rivers looking for spawning adults on the Pic, Black, White, Batchawana, Chippewa and Michipicoten Rivers with OMNR and DFO. Also involved with commercial fishers on incidental take of lake sturgeon.

Moerke, Ashley, Lake Superior State University
Biographical Sketch: I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) and the Co-Director of LSSU's Aquatic Research Laboratory (ARL). For the past few years, LSSU students working at the ARL have conducted assessments of lake sturgeon populations in the St. Marys River. We plan to continue these assessments in the future, and we would like to expand our efforts to identify critical spawning habitats.

Mosindy, Tom, Ontario MNR - Lake of the Woods Fisheries Assessment Unit
Biographical Sketch: I presently work as a fisheries assessment biologist/Unit supervisor with the Lake of the Woods Fisheries Assessment Unit, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, in Kenora. Our unit has been involved in long-term studies documenting the recovery of lake sturgeon populations into the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods over the last two decades. Areas of study have included population dynamics, habitat preferences, and seasonal movement patterns of lake sturgeon in this system. I am currently involved in a co-operative study with Minnesota DNR and Rainy River First Nations to re-evaluate the status of this population and to determine its current position on a recovery trajectory. I am also the chair of a provincial committee that is recommending changes to angling regulations for lake sturgeon in Ontario.

Mudrak, Vincent, USFWS - Warm Springs Regional Fisheries Center, GA
Biographical Sketch: My name is Vincent Mudrak. I direct R&D work at the USFWS Regional Fisheries Center in Warm Springs, GA. I and other Center biologists work with various sturgeon species (shortnose, Atlantic, lake, pallid, shovelnose). We currently are initiating work in cryogenics, genetics, animal health, and propagation. With regard to lake sturgeon, our Center’s staff biologists work with several Great Lakes fisheries managers, where we request and acquire lake sturgeon for captive propagation and restoration stocking for the Tennessee River system. We also assist with lake sturgeon fish health analysis, quarantine of sturgeon eggs/progeny entering the southeast Region, cryopreservation of lake sturgeon gametes, and collection of lake sturgeon tissue samples for future genetic identification (of founder population).

I am interested in participating at the Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Coordination Meeting (GLLSCM) since I believe USFWS and other partners may need to formalize and enhance our lake sturgeon restoration plan, and our collective work strategies, for lake sturgeon restoration in the Tennessee River system. The information presented at the GLLSCM would benefit me. In turn, some of our southeastern issues and concerns might provide contrasting insights, and be useful information for some of our more northern partners in sturgeon conservation.

Ogren, Stephanie, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
Biographical Sketch: I have worked on the Manistee River Sturgeon project for the past 3 years. I have focused on habitat assessments and have worked on design and implementation of the streamside rearing facility.

Peltier, Maureen, Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre
Biographical Sketch: The A/OFRC works collaboratively with First Nation communities across the great lakes Basin on fisheries initiatives including lake sturgeon assessment. In recent years the A/OFRC has sponsored lake sturgeon work in the Mississaugi River, Spanish River, the North Channel of Georgian Bay and Lake Nipissing.

Phaneuf, Brad, Ontario MNR - Upper Great Lakes Management Unit
Biographical Sketch: Throughout the last 4 years the UGLMU has captured Sturgeon from the Goulais River. This year was the first year that we added a telemetry portion to the project to track the fish as they leave the River.

Pratt, Tom, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Biographical Sketch: Involved in Great Lakes basin-wide lake sturgeon collection on four Lake Superior tributaries for the USFWS led genetics initiative. A member of the recently formed Lake Superior Lake Sturgeon working group of the Lake Superior Technical Committee.

Pritchard, Gary, Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre - Fisheries Technician
Biographical Sketch: The A/OFRC works collaboratively with First Nation communities across the great lakes Basin on fisheries initiatives including lake sturgeon assessment. In recent years the A/OFRC has sponsored lake sturgeon work in the Mississaugi River, Spanish River, the North Channel of Georgian Bay and Lake Nipissing.

Pullen, Chris, Golder Associates
Biographical Sketch: Chris Pullen is a member of the Golder Associates Bioscience group working as an aquatic biologist. Mr. Pullen provides expertise and support in areas of aquatic habitat, fisheries and water quality relating to provincial and federal permitting applications, environmental impact assessments and monitoring programs. Chris has an extensive background as a wilderness guide and has specialized expertise in the instruction of river, wilderness and rescue skills.

Since joining Golder Associates, Mr. Pullen has been involved in a wide range of projects with the mining development and aggregates resources sector, the pulp and paper industry, forestry operators, solid waste management sector and municipal infrastructure projects in Ontario and the Northwest Territories.

Recent projects relating to lake sturgeon include habitat utilization and spawning assessments of populations in northern Ontario.

Pyatskowit, Jeremy, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Biographical Sketch: The work the tribe is doing on the reservation involves a lake sturgeon reintroduction program. The Tribe has been moving sturgeon onto the reservation since 1995 in at attempt to gain a self sustaining population. The transferred fish have been fitted with radio transmitters to monitor their movement in the Wolf River. Sturgeon have also been stocked in a reservation lake to provide a harvestable population for tribal members. The USFWS has been aiding in the assessments of the stocked sturgeon.

Pyatskowit, Jonathan, USFWS - Ashland Fishery Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: I am involved in spawning assessment of the Bad/White River population in Wisconsin. I also work with commercial fishermen to get data from sturgeon caught incidentally during the whitefish/lake trout commercial fishery. My master’s research dealt with the inheritance of microsatellite loci in the lake sturgeon.

Quinlan, Henry, USFWS - Ashland Fishery Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: I have been involved in lake sturgeon assessment and management in the Lake Superior basin since 1995. Recent activities include assessment of spawning runs in tributaries that historically or currently support self-sustaining populations, identification and description of juvenile and adult habitat, description of larval and yoy movement and growth, and technical assistance to other agencies involved with management and assessment of lake sturgeon. I was a member of the Lake Superior Sturgeon Subcommittee that developed the Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Plan for Lake Superior (2003) and the Wisconsin Sturgeon Management/Assessment Team that developed a management plan sturgeon in Wisconsin.

Rajchel, Deborah, Michigan Technological University
Biographical Sketch: I am a graduate student at MTU working on lake sturgeon to determine
spawning locations on the Cedar and Manistique Rivers. While an undergraduate at Purdue University, I participated in lake sturgeon research and husbandry in the laboratory.

Reiter, Donald J., Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin - Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Biographical Sketch: Lake sturgeon had been extirpated from the Menominee Indian Reservation until 1994 when federal, state, and tribal biologists began implementing strategies to reintroduce lake sturgeon to reservation waters. The lake sturgeon is an important part of the Menominee Indian Tribe culturally and also has provided subsistence in years past. The lake sturgeon re-introduction project allows my department to reintroduce adult lake sturgeon, stock yearling lake sturgeon, monitor behavior and habitat use using radio-telemetry, and conduct annual population assessments on reintroduced populations.. These activities will enable the identification of preferred habitat for lake sturgeon on the Menominee Reservation and bring the population to a self-sustaining level. Biological monitoring of movement behavior, habitat use and population status will allow adaptation of current management strategies as needed. The other portion of this project is to establish and maintain a put-grow-take lake sturgeon fishery in Legend Lake which will be used by enrolled tribal members in the future.

Schmidt, Karen, Ontario MNR - Upper Great Lakes Management Unit - Lake Superior
Biographical Sketch:
Kaministiquia River: Issue with dewatering traditional spawning area. Presently monitoring the impact of flow stability on access and spawning success.

Black Sturgeon River: Issue is a lack of information concerning population size and seasonal distribution and movement. Initiatives include spring population estimates and radio telemetry work utilizing a data logger situated at the mouth of the river.

Goulais River: Issue is a lack of information concerning habitat utilization and seasonal distribution and movement. Addressing issue by utilizing radio telemetry and a shoreline based data logger situated on the river.

Scott, Steven, Michigan DNR - Newberry
Biographical Sketch: I do not conduct sturgeon research but as a manager, I am interested in the information provided at this workshop.

Seyler, John, Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre – General Manager
Biographical Sketch: The A/OFRC works collaboratively with First Nation communities across the great lakes Basin on fisheries initiatives including lake sturgeon assessment. In recent years the A/OFRC has sponsored lake sturgeon work in the Mississaugi River, Spanish River, the North Channel of Georgian Bay and Lake Nipissing.

Seymour, Randy, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Biographical Sketch: Our agency has monitored incidental captures of lake sturgeon in the Little Traverse Bay Region of Lake Michigan since 2000 since that time we have collected biological data from more than 20 animals and have provided 14 tissues samples for inclusion in the genetic work being done on Lake Michigan. Future work will include targeted assessments to determine the seasonal distribution of lake sturgeon in Little Traverse Bay.

Shabogesic, Perry McLeod, Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre
Biographical Sketch: Community Liaison Specialist. The A/OFRC works collaboratively with First Nation communities across the great lakes Basin on fisheries initiatives including lake sturgeon assessment. In recent years the A/OFRC has sponsored lake sturgeon work in the Mississaugi River, Spanish River, the North Channel of Georgian Bay and Lake Nipissing.

Smith, Kregg, Michigan DNR- Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit
Biographical Sketch: Kregg Smith, Fisheries Management Biologist, MDNR -Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit has worked on lake sturgeon population dynamics and larval production in Black Lake, Michigan. My experience is in collecting and quantifying larvae, YOY, Juvenile, and adult lake sturgeon; using drift nets, trawling, gillnet, setlines, electrofishing, and ultrasonic telemetry. I am a member of the Lake Michigan Lake Sturgeon Task Group, MDNR lake sturgeon committee, and currently working on lake sturgeon in the Kalamazoo River in conjunction with Purdue University. My work is interested in rehabilitation of lake sturgeon populations in the Saint Joseph, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rivers. Some of the work currently ongoing in these river systems include inventorying habitat for different lake sturgeon life stages, obtaining and evaluating archaeological lake sturgeon remains to gain knowledge of historic genetic diversity in conjunction with current population information and genetic diversity that will assist fisheries managers in understanding the changes within these populations as well as between populations in southern Lake Michigan, coordinating and assisting in sampling efforts for biological data in each river as well as along the St. Joseph Reef in Southern Lake Michigan.

Starzl, Nick, USFWS - Genoa National Fish Hatchery
Biographical Sketch: Lake sturgeon culture

Sutton, Trent, Purdue University
Biographical Sketch: Currently, my research crew is conducting the following lake sturgeon related projects:
1. Assessment of remnant population status in the St. Joseph and Kalamazoo Rivers in southeastern part of Lake Michigan
2. Potential for Lake Sturgeon Habitat Rehabilitation in Green Bay Tributaries of Lake Michigan
3. Influence of water temperature and suture strand diameter on transmitter retention of juvenile lake sturgeon.
In addition to these projects, we have also recently completed the following lake sturgeon projects:
1. Effects of Mortality Sources on Population Viability of Lake Sturgeon Based on Model Simulations
2. Characterization of Early Life Stages of Lake Sturgeon in the Peshtigo River and Green Bay

Vandergoot, Chris, Ohio DNR - Sandusky
Biographical Sketch:
-Compiled a lake sturgeon sightings database for Ohio waters of Lake Erie
-Attempted to sample juvenile lake sturgeon in the western basin via set-lines
-Sampling the Maumee River to determine if this river is still used as a spawning ground

Vecsei, Paul, University of Georgia
Biographical Sketch: I have worked on stock assessment and telemetry of remnant Lake Michigan stocks of lake sturgeon. My current work focuses on the Muskegon River lake sturgeon stock. My research began in 2002 and has the following primary objectives: 1) Estimate spawning run size of lake sturgeon during annual migration in Muskegon River 2) Describe population age structure to predict future population trend
3) Determine if successful reproduction is still occurring. This research is part of my PhD work at UGA.

I am also interested in the taxonomy and ecomorphology of sturgeons. I have traveled throughout Russia, visiting hatchery facilities and historic fisheries.

Weise, Jerry G, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sea Lamprey Control Centre
Biographical Sketch:
- worked with the sea lamprey control program for 34+ years
- currently conducting fish assessments in streams proposed for low-head barrier construction
- prepare environmental assessments for planned barrier streams
- maintain fish data base for Ontario streams that we have worked on
- provide advice to lampricide treatment supervisors on lake sturgeon production in Great Lakes tributaries
- experience with lampricide applications, lampricide analysis, conducting and summarizing bioassays to assess sea lamprey and non-target mortality, and lamprey surveys
- studied the potential of lampricide induced mortality on young of the year lake sturgeon

Weisser, John, USFWS - Marquette Biological Station
Biographical Sketch:
I serve as a Fishery Biologist and lead the Risk Management Team of the Sea Lamprey Management Program (Program) in the United States.

I assist others in the coordination of lake sturgeon assessments in streams where lampricides are applied and serve as a member of the following work groups: the Lake Sturgeon Committee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem Team, Lake Sturgeon Committee of the Lake Michigan Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Green Bay Lake Sturgeon Work Group, Central Great Lakes Binational Lake Sturgeon Group, and New York Lake Sturgeon Research Group.

Since the “Protocol for Application of Lampricides to Streams with Populations of Young-of-Year Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)” was implemented in 1998, no mortality of lake sturgeons has been observed during 34 lampricide treatments in state-designated lake sturgeon streams.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission contracts field operations of the Program to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Fisheries and Oceans of Canada according to the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries between the United States of America and Canada, 1954.

Welsh, Amy, University of California - Davis
Biographical Sketch: I am a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California – Davis, with the focus of my dissertation being the genetic analysis of lake sturgeon population structure throughout the Great Lakes basin. We have developed microsatellite markers, and have standardized these markers among several genetic laboratories. Synthesis of genetic data from multiple laboratories will result in the creation of a comprehensive dataset. This data will then be used to develop genetic guidelines that can be incorporated into lake sturgeon management plans. I am also interested in the policy issues surrounding the management of interjurisdictional species, such as lake sturgeon.

Whelan, Gary E., Michigan DNR - Fisheries Division, Lansing
Biographical Sketch: Currently, I am the Sturgeon Committee Chair for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and am responsible for coordinating lake sturgeon efforts statewide along with ensure that sturgeon information is disseminated to the committee. I have been involved in lake sturgeon work for 15 years in many areas including habitat protection, propagation, genetics, reestablishment efforts and rehabilitation planning.

Whiting, Benjamin, Grand Portage Chippewa
Biographical Sketch:
-Assessment of Pigeon River and Pigeon Bay remnant lake sturgeon populations.
-Radio-acoustic tracking of sub-adult and juvenile sturgeon in Pigeon River and St. Louis River estuaries.
-Habitat delineation (sediment, aquatic vegetation, water quality) in each river system.
-Set-up PIT tagging systems for both rivers and PIT tag all catch.

Wolgamood, Martha, Michigan DNR - Wolf Lake State Fish
Biographical Sketch: I am the hatchery manager at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in southwest Michigan. We raise up to 10,000 sturgeon from eggs obtained from the Sturgeon River and larval fish obtained from the Black River. Sturgeon are reared to fall fingerlings (approx 5-7 inches) at which time they are coded-wire tagged and stocked in late October.

Zollweg, Emily C., USFWS - Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office
Biographical Sketch: Fishery Biologist (Lake Sturgeon Coordinator) for Lake Ontario and eastern Lake Erie, also current chair of Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem Team Lake Sturgeon Committee. Ongoing projects: Commercial Fisher tagging in Lake Erie, stocked sturgeon habitat use and contaminant uptake experiment in the Genesee River, Great Lakes Basin Lake Sturgeon Tributary Database GIS and Webpage development project. Provide support, advice, and develop projects with partners (USGS, DFO, NYS DEC, OMNR, universities).

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