Are Lake Sturgeon Endangered

This ancient family of fishes has been recognized since the Upper Cretaceous period 136 million years ago at a time when dinosaurs were at the height of their development.

Are lake sturgeon endangered. Lake Sturgeon was listed as special concern when the Endangered Species Act took effect in 2008. Some of the well-studied populations. 2019-08-15 On May 23 2018 we received a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity requesting that lake sturgeon be listed as threatened rangewide or that nine distinct population segments DPSs be listed as endangered or threatened and critical habitat be designated for this species under the Act.

Many states and tribal organizations are restoring lake sturgeon spawning populations through artificial propagation reintroducing lake sturgeon to former habitats removing some dams and habitat. Lake sturgeon are highly vulnerable to commercial fishing gear gill nets and at one time were considered a nuisance and coarse fish. Xi 107 pp.

In Canada Lake Sturgeon occur in rivers around southern Hudson Bay in the Great Lakes and in inland lakes and rivers from Alberta to Quebec. Species at Risk Status Reports. Lake Sturgeon in fragmented reaches of the Ottawa River exist in reduced numbers and have size distributions consisting predominately of larger individuals indicating recruitment failure Haxton 2002.

COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in Canada. The majority of Lake Sturgeon populations in Canada declined precipitously over a period of 150 years beginning in the 18 th century. 2018-05-14 Most states within the range of the lake sturgeon provide state protection as endangered threatened or species of concern prohibiting or limiting their harvest.

2019-08-16 Lake sturgeon can live for 100 years grow more than 8 feet long and weigh up to 300 pounds according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Several species of sturgeon are considered threatened with extinction as a result of over-fishing poaching water pollution damming and destruction of natural watercourses and habitats.

The Sturgeon is assessed as endangered based on declines in mature individuals over the past 3 generations where the cause of decline has not stopped in Ontario. Haxton and Findlay 2009. Unit was designated Endangered.