Dispersal of Lake Sturgeon from a Connecting Channel: Implications for Restoration in the Great Lakes

Chiotti, Justin

Dispersal of Lake Sturgeon from a Connecting Channel: Implications for Restoration in the Great Lakes

Monday, August 22, 2016: 9:40 AM

Chicago B (Sheraton at Crown Center)

Justin Chiotti , Alpena FWCO - Waterford Substation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Waterford, MI

Darryl Hondorp , USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Richard Drouin , Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Wheatley, ON

James C. Boase , Alpena FWCO - Waterford Substation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Waterford, MI

Christopher Holbrook , Hammond Bay Biological Station, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Millersburg, MI

Michael Thomas , Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Harrison Twp., MI

Todd Wills , Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Harrison Township, MI

Edward F. Roseman , USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Lloyd Mohr , Upper Great Lakes Management Unit - Lake Huron, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Owen Sound, ON, Canada

Charles C. Krueger , Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Currently, no spawning populations of lake sturgeon exist in the main basins of lakes Huron and Erie. The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) contains one of the largest populations in the Great Lakes; therefore, the potential for this population to colonize historic lake sturgeon producing tributaries in these two lakes was investigated. Between 2011-2015, 282 adult lake sturgeon collected from four locations were implanted with VEMCO V16-6L acoustic transmitters. Overall, 91 lake sturgeon were detected by receivers in lakes Huron or Erie; however, none were detected in tributaries that once supported lake sturgeon populations. Twenty-six percent were detected in the southern main basin of Lake Huron, while only 2% were detected in Saginaw Bay that contains one potential tributary for recolonization. Seven percent were detected in Lake Erie and 4% near the edge of the western basin. While preliminary, results indicated that recolonization of historical tributaries in lakes Huron and Erie due to straying from the SCDRS population would be a slow process; therefore, supplementation may be necessary to achieve restoration targets over shorter time scales.