Lessons Learned with Lake Sturgeon Recovery Efforts in the Huron Erie Corridor

Loss of fish habitat is a beneficial use impairment in both the Detroit and St. Clair rivers Areas of Concern. Spawning habitat for lake sturgeon and other native fish was constructed at two locations in the Detroit River; near Belle Isle in 2004, and near Fighting Island in 2008.  A third spawning habitat site is scheduled for construction in the St Clair River near Dickinson Island in 2012. Substrates at Belle Isle included large broken limestone, large round cobble, and coal cinders, whereas substrates at Fighting Island consisted of medium broken limestone, small broken limestone, medium round cobble, and a mixture of the three. Substrates planned for the Dickenson Island reef closely resemble materials used at Fighting Island.  At both Belle Isle and Fighting Island, fish response to the constructed habitat was almost immediate, with fourteen species of native fish utilizing the reef for spawning at Belle Isle and thirteen species of native fish at Fighting Island. Lake sturgeon response to the two reefs have been varied, with no spawning activity observed at the Belle Isle reef, but immediate spawning activity observed at Fighting Island. Differences between the Belle Isle Reef and the Fighting Island Reef will be presented, with lessons learned being incorporated into the Dickinson Island Reef and other future projects. Our results demonstrate that loss of spawning habitat for native fish can be successfully remediated in Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes by construction of spawning habitat.