Restoration of Lake Sturgeon in the Great Lakes

Lake sturgeon populations in the Great Lakes have decreased to less than 1 % of their historic abundance, due to overfishing and loss of habitat. Once viewed as a nuisance, caviar made from their roe greatly increased their value. Sturgeon restoration depends on improvements to habitat, control of exploitation, and reintroduction of extirpated populations. Greatest progress in restoring lake sturgeon has been made in Wisconsin with the Lake Winnebago population.  This population includes all age classes, and is carefully managed to limit exploitation to less than 5% of adults. It provides a good example of sturgeon restoration that could be applied to other sturgeon populations in the Great Lakes. In the Great Lakes, the largest population of lake sturgeon exists in southern Lake Huron, the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair. In this population, sturgeon harvest is limited to a growing recreational catch and release fishery in the St. Clair River. Listing of lake sturgeon as threatened in Ontario and restoration of their spawning grounds in the Huron-Erie Corridor could enhance sturgeon numbers throughout the Corridor, and lakes Michigan, Huron and Erie.