Status of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescensRafinesque 1817) in North America

• DOI: 10.1111/jai.13240
• Publication Date: 2017-01-16T06:41:22Z
• Authors: R. M. Bruch; T. J. Haxton; R. Koenigs; A. Welsh; S. J. Kerr
• Keywords: Lake sturgeon; Overexploitation

Lake Sturgeon is a potamodromous, fluvial-dependent species from the family Acipenseridae, and one of largest freshwater fishes within its North American range extending to Great lakes, Mississippi River, Hudson Bay drainages. Like almost all other sturgeon species, populations throughout suffered mass declines or extirpation in late 1800s into early 1900s, due extensive overexploitation habitat loss alteration. However, are still present low high densities their native primarily factors including: long life span resiliency, remote location many northern populations, long-term pro-active management programs effectively controlling exploitation, improved water-quality conditions, recovery that have been effect since 1970s. Recovery initiated 1970s now just beginning show signs natural recruitment re-built with stocked fish. Large sustainable recreational fisheries annual harvests up 45 000 kg commercial fishery an harvest 80 exist maintained for rigid regulations, controls, enforcement, user involvement. The prognosis generally good, although maintaining public interest continue be greatest threats local regional populations. Hydropower development, especially part species' range, challenging potential negative impact this type development can on migrating fish like Sturgeon. Advances understanding history, requirements, distribution among water systems has strongly indicated dams co-exist, if correct planning necessary mitigative techniques employed at each site case-by-case basis.