Experiments in Sturgeon Culture

Meehan, W. E.

doi:10.1577/1548-8659(1909)39[85:eisc]2.0.co;2

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Although there are no historical studies of lake sturgeon spawning in the Detroit River, anecdotal information suggests that the Detroit River historically supported a significant lake sturgeon population (Harkness and Dymond, 1961). As lake sturgeon eventually became more important to the economy of the Great Lakes region (Carey, 2005), some of the first attempts to artificially propagate lake sturgeon took place in the late 1880s on the Detroit River (Post, 1890; Meehan, 1909). Historically, the Detroit River and adjacent waters supported one of the largest lake sturgeon populations in the Great Lakes; however, commercial catches of lake sturgeon had collapsed by 1925 (Christie, 1974; Manny and Mohr, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the late 1800s, the HEC was, therefore, one of the most productive waters for lake sturgeon in North America, producing a combined total of over 15.7 million kg year −1 (Baldwin et al., 1979). By 1890, however, Lake sturgeon populations had declined due to overfishing and habitat loss to the point where biologists were attempting to collect gametes from wild lake sturgeon to propagate lake sturgeon in hatcheries, from which stocking programs would be undertaken (Post, 1890; Meehan, 1909). That initiative failed and lake sturgeon populations continued to dwindle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lake sturgeon response to a spawning reef constructed in the Detroit river

Roseman

Manny

Boase

et al. 2011

Journal of Applied Ichthyology

108

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SummaryPrior to the First World War, the bi-national Detroit River provided vast areas of functional fish spawning and nursery habitat. However, ongoing conflicting human uses of these waters for activities such as waste disposal, water withdrawals, shoreline development, shipping, recreation, and fishing have altered many of the chemical, physical, and biological processes of the Detroit River. Of particular interest and concern to resource managers and stakeholders is the significant loss and impairment of fish spawning and nursery habitat that led to the decline in abundance of most fish species using this ecosystem. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) populations for example, were nearly extirpated by the middle of the 20th century, leaving only a small fraction of their former population. Fisheries managers recognized that the loss of suitable fish spawning habitat is a limiting factor in lake sturgeon population rehabilitation in the Detroit River. In efforts to remediate this beneficial water use impairment, a reef consisting of a mixture of natural rock and limestone was constructed at the upstream end of Fighting Island in 2008. This paper focuses on the response by lake sturgeon to the different replicates of suitable natural materials used to construct the fish spawning habitat at Fighting Island in the Detroit River. Pre-construction fisheries assessment during [2006][2007][2008] showed that along with the presence of adult lake sturgeon, spawning conditions were favorable. However, no eggs were found in assessments conducted prior to reef construction. The 3300 m 2 Fighting Island reef was placed at the upstream end of the island in October of 2008. The construction design included 12 spawning beds of three replicates each consisting of either round rock, small or large (shot-rock) diameter limestone or a mixture thereof. An observed response by spawning lake sturgeon occurred the following year when spawning-ready adults (ripe), viable eggs, and larvae were collected during May and June 2009. Additional eggs and spawning-ready adults were found in 2010 (no larval sampling occurred in 2010) as well as collection of three age-0 juvenile lake sturgeon in bottom trawls fished downstream of the reef during July 2010. Spawning lake sturgeon showed no repeatable preference for any of the four particular substrate types but showed a high degree of preference for the island side of the channel, where faster water current velocities occurred. In 2009, overall lake sturgeon egg densities across all replicates averaged 102 m and seven larvae were found in night drift-net samples. In 2010, average lake sturgeon egg density was 12 m )2 and three age-0 lake sturgeon averaging 120 mm TL were collected in bottom trawls in deepwater (8 m depth) downstream from the constructed reef. These results demonstrated successful reproduction by lake sturgeon on a man-made reef and suggested that additions and improvements to fish spawning habitat could enhance reproduction and early life history survival of lake sturgeon in ...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lake sturgeon response to a spawning reef constructed in the Detroit river

Roseman

Manny

Boase

et al. 2011

Journal of Applied Ichthyology

108

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show abstract

“…Commercial harvest of Lake Sturgeon peaked in Lake St. Clair in 1870 at 2.4 kg per year and in Lake Erie in 1885 at over 11 million kg per year (Baldwin et al., 1979). By 1890, Lake Sturgeon populations had declined due to overfishing and habitat loss to the point where the state of Michigan initiated a Lake Sturgeon propagation program using gametes collected from wild Lake Sturgeon stocks in the Detroit River (Post, 1890; Meehan, 1909). That initiative failed and Lake Sturgeon populations continued to dwindle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Movements and distribution of adult Lake Sturgeon from their spawning site in the St. Clair River, Michigan

Boase

Diana

Thomas

et al. 2011

Journal of Applied Ichthyology

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Summary Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens were studied to determine spawning migrations, seasonal movement patterns and habitat use in the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair. Ultrasonic transmitters were successfully implanted in 15 sexually mature adult fish during spawning periods in 1997–1999. Telemetry data, along with GIS software, were used to determine where Lake Sturgeon resided in Lake St. Clair following implantation. Movement information collected from tagged Lake Sturgeon from May 1997–October 2000 revealed three patterns. Following implantation, 73% of the fish (four females and seven males) moved downstream from the St. Clair River to Lake St. Clair, 13% of the fish (one female and one male) were presumed to have moved upriver to Lake Huron, and 20% of the fish (one female and two males) remained in or returned to the St. Clair River for at least 1 year. The fish that moved into Lake St. Clair were found most often in an area near the St. Clair River Delta, at depths of 4–6 m (>98% of observations). Fish that remained in the St. Clair River were commonly found (>84%) at depths between 9 and 18 m. Four females and three males returned to the spawning site in the St. Clair River in subsequent spawning seasons. Females returned at intervals of 1–3 years and males at 1–2 years. For all invertebrates tested, only Ephemeroptera density was a significant predictor of Lake Sturgeon presence/absence in Lake St. Clair.

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“…Although there are no published studies of lake sturgeon in the Detroit River, anecdotal information suggests that the Detroit River historically supported a significant lake sturgeon population (Harkness and Dymond, 1961). As lake sturgeon eventually became important to the economy of the central Great Lakes region, some of the first attempts to artificially propagate the fish took place in the mid‐1880s on the Detroit River (Meehan, 1909).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spawning by lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Detroit River

et al. 2004

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Summary Overfishing and habitat destruction in the early 1900s devastated lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) populations in the Great Lakes. Although a comprehensive restoration strategy for this species was recently drafted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, a lack of current data on Great Lakes sturgeon stocks has hindered rehabilitation efforts. Historically, the Detroit River supported one of the largest lake sturgeon populations in the Great Lakes; however, little is known about the current population or its habitat use. The main objective of this study was to determine if lake sturgeon spawns in the Detroit River. As part of a larger study, baited setlines were used to capture lake sturgeon in the Detroit River in the spring and summer of 2000 and 2001. In each year of the study, ultrasonic transmitters were surgically implanted in 10 adult fish to track their movements, evaluate habitat use and identify possible spawning sites. Using telemetry and egg mats to verify spawning activity, one spawning site was located and verified in the Detroit River. Spawning was verified by recovering sturgeon eggs deposited on egg collection mats anchored at the site. Telemetry data suggested that several other possible spawning sites also may exist, however, spawning activity was not verified at these sites.

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Experiments in Sturgeon Culture

Cited by 16 publications

References 0 publications

Lake sturgeon response to a spawning reef constructed in the Detroit river

Lake sturgeon response to a spawning reef constructed in the Detroit river

Movements and distribution of adult Lake Sturgeon from their spawning site in the St. Clair River, Michigan

Spawning by lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Detroit River

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