Giants of the Great Lakes

Giants of the Great Lakes. . , Called "Nme" in Ottawa language, Lake Sturgeon are the largest fish native to the Great Lakes. They can grow up to seven feet (2.1 meters) in length and weigh up to 250 pounds (113 kilograms). Sturgeon evolved very slowly over the last 200 million years earning them the nickname "living fossils." Today the once abundant Lake Sturgeon are a state- and provincially-threatened species. Overfishing, habitat loss, and increasing pollution levels have contributed to their decline. In Michigan waters, it is estimated that the current population is less than 1% of their former abundance., Scientists, government agencies, and other organizations are working to reverse the causes of the Lake Sturgeon decline by constructing spawning reefs throughout the St. Clair-Detroit River Corridor., Lake Sturgeon Biology , Native Americans revered the sturgeon as an important part of their culture, depending on them for food and other staples. In contrast, commercial fishing in the mid-1800s viewed the species as a nuisance and over-harvested Lake Sturgeon almost to extinction. Lake Sturgeon are now protected in most waters of the Great Lakes with commercial fishing prohibited in Michigan and the sport fishing season closely regulated., Cultural Shifts in Perspective , Lake Sturgeon have no teeth and use their barbels to find crustaceans, fish and insects along the bottom of lakes and rivers. Male Lake Sturgeon live an average of 55 years and begin mating at about 10 years. Females typically live up to 100 years and reach sexual maturity at around 25 years and mate about every four to six years. A female can release 50,000-700,000 eggs per spawn. Spawning is dependent on water temperature and flow, making the St. Clair River some of the most suitable spawning habitat in the entire Great Lakes for Lake Sturgeon., What You Can Do , You can help in the recovery of these Gentle Giants:, Understand and adhere to all fishing and environmental regulations and report illegal activity., Get involved in the annual Sturgeon Festival in Port Huron and volunteer with organizations that promote Lake Sturgeon conservation., Become knowledgeable about Lake Sturgeon and share that knowledge with community organizations and school groups.