PUBLIC

COMMENT DRAFT

Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan

Division of Fish and Wildlife

Bureau of Fisheries
October 2017

NewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation
BasilSeggos,Commissioner
KathyMoser,DeputyCommissionerforNaturalResources
TonyWilkinson,Director,DivisionofFishandWildlife
DougStang,AssistantDirector,DivisionofFishandWildlife
SteveHurst,Chief,BureauofFisheries

New York State Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan

_____________________________
Steve Hurst

Chief, Bureau of Fisheries

Date ____________

____________________________
Tony Wilkinson

Director, Division of Fish and Wildlife

Date ____________




Mission of the Bureau of Fisheries
ConserveandenhanceNewYorkStatesabundantanddiversepopulationoffreshwaterfisheswhile
providingthepublicwithqualityrecreationalanglingopportunities.

ThisplanwaspreparedbyEmilyZollwegHoran,AquaticBiologist,NYSDECBureauofFisheries,
Cortland,andLisaHolst,RareFishUnitLeader,NYSDEC,Albany

Acknowledgements
ThisplancouldnothavebeenwrittenwithoutextensiveinputandsupportfromtheNewYorkState
LakeSturgeonWorkingGroup:

DougCarlson,Region6FisheriesBiologist,NYSDEC,Watertown
RodgerKlindt,Region6FisheriesBiologist,NYSDEC,Watertown
FrankFlack,Region6FisheriesManager,NYSDEC,Watertown
WebPearsall,Region8FisheriesManager,NYSDEC,Avon
MichaelClancy,Region9FisheriesManager,NYSDEC,Allegheny
DonEinhouse,LakeErieFisheriesUnitLeader,NYSDEC,Dunkirk
ChrisLeGard,LakeOntarioFisheriesUnitLeader,NYSDEC,CapeVincent
BillEvans,FishCulturist,OneidaFishHatchery,NYSDEC,Constantia
PhilHulbert,Chief,BureauofFisheries,Retired
RandyJackson,ResearchScientist,CornellUniversity,CornellBiologicalFieldStation
TomBrooking,CornellUniversity,CornellBiologicalFieldStation
TonyVanDeValk,CornellUniversity,CornellBiologicalFieldStation
JessicaJock,St.RegisMohawkTribe,EnvironmentDivision
TonyDavid,St.RegisMohawkTribe,EnvironmentDivision
JayWilkins,St.RegisMohawkTribe,EnvironmentDivision
DawnDittman,ResearchEcologist,TunisonLaboratoryofAquaticScience,USGS,Cortland
ScottSchlueter,FishandWildlifeBiologist,USFWS,Cortland,NY
DimitryGorsky,FishandWildlifeBiologist,USFWS,Basom,NY
DougAloisi,HatcheryManager,USFWS,Genoa,WI

Muchoftheresearch,monitoringandpropagationworkdiscussedinthisdocumenthasbeenmade
possiblewithfundingfrommultiplegrantsthroughtheUSFishandWildlifeServicesStateWildlife
GrantsProgramandtheUSEnvironmentalProtectionAgencysGreatLakesResearchInitiative.

Table of Contents

MissionoftheBureauofFisheries.........................................................................................................4
Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................5
ListofFigures..........................................................................................................................................7
ExecutiveSummary................................................................................................................................8
Introduction............................................................................................................................................9
RecoveryGoal.......................................................................................................................................10
TimelineforRecoveryActionImplementation............................................................................11
NaturalHistory.....................................................................................................................................12
Distribution...........................................................................................................................................12
PopulationStatusHistory.....................................................................................................................14
StatewideRecoveryActions.................................................................................................................19
MonitoringandAssessment.........................................................................................................19
StatewideResearchNeeds...........................................................................................................19
ManagementUnitStatusandRecoveryActions.................................................................................21
ManagementUnit1:LakeErie.........................................................................................................22
ManagementUnit2:WesternLakeOntario....................................................................................25
ManagementUnit3:CentralNewYork...........................................................................................28
ManagementUnit4:EasternLakeOntario......................................................................................31
ManagementUnit5:UpperSt.LawrenceRiver..............................................................................33
ManagementUnit6:LowerSt.LawrenceRiver...............................................................................36
ManagementUnit7:LakeChamplain*............................................................................................40
NextSteps.............................................................................................................................................42
LiteratureCited.....................................................................................................................................43

List of Figures

Figure1.HistoricandcurrentdistributionoflakesturgeonbywatershedintheUnitedStates........13

Figure2.HistoricandrecentcollectionlocationsoflakesturgeoninNewYork,18842013.............14

Figure3.Stockinglocationsandnumbersoflakesturgeonstockedbyyear......................................16

Figure4.LakeSturgeonManagementUnitsandshortdescription....................................................21

Figure5.LakeErieManagementUnit..................................................................................................22

Figure6.WesternLakeOntarioManagementUnit.............................................................................25

Figure7.CentralNYManagementUnit...............................................................................................28

Figure8.EasternLakeOntarioManagementUnit...............................................................................31

Figure9.UpperSt.LawrenceManagementUnit.................................................................................33

Figure10.LowerSt.LawrenceManagementUnit...............................................................................37

Figure11.LakeChamplainManagementUnit.....................................................................................40

Executive Summary
Lakesturgeonarelonglived,largebodied,latetosexuallymature,andspawnonlyintermittently.
Thesecharacteristicsmakethisspeciesespeciallyvulnerabletooverfishing,andslowtorecover
fromtheseveredeclinestheyexperiencedinthepast.InNewYorkState,overfishingandhabitat
degradationledtoseveredeclinesinmanyofthestateslakesturgeonspawningpopulations,
resultinginlistingasastatethreatenedspeciesin1983.Whilemuchresearchhasbeenconducted
onlakesturgeoninthepasttwentyyears,westilllacksufficientknowledgeofspecificspawning
locationsforsomepopulations,aswellaspopulationabundancesandagestructureformanyofthe
populations.TochangetheNewYorkStatelistedstatusofthisspeciesfromThreatenedtoSpecial
Concern,ortoremoveitfromthelistaltogether,thereneedstobesufficientselfsustaining
populationsinthestatetowarrantthatchange.Definingthesepopulationsandanaccompanying
targetnumberforrecoveryprovedchallengingsincelakesturgeonoccupywiderangingandvariable
habitatsacrossNewYork.Inmanycases,smallerspawningaggregationsmaybepartofalarger
metapopulation.Toaccommodatethesevariances,wedefinedManagementUnitsacrossNewYork
asadescriptorofthesemetapopulations.Selfsustainingpopulationsoflakesturgeonaredefinedin
thisplanashavinganestimateofatleast750spawningadultsacrossallspawningaggregations
withinaManagementUnitanddetectionofatleastthreeyearsofwildreproductioninafiveyear
period.AstockingprogrambyNewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation(NYSDEC)
andtheUnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService(USFWS)hasbeeninplacesince1993toachieve
thesegoals.Lakesturgeonhavebeenreestablishedacrossthestateandcurrentstockingisseeking
toenhancethegeneticdiversityofthestockedpopulations.Naturallyrecoveringpopulationsare
alsobeingmonitoredinseveralGreatLakeslocations.Spawninghabitatenhancementistaking
placeatseverallocationsintheSt.LawrenceRiver,andtheSenecaRiver.NYSDEC,USFWS,US
GeologicalSurvey(USGS),CornellUniversity,St.RegisMohawktribe,manylocalgovernments,non
governmentalorganizations,andutilitiesareworkingtowardthesegoals.Contributionsfromallwill
benecessarytoaccomplishrecoveryofthisspecies.

Introduction
Lakesturgeon(Acipenserfulvescens)isthelargestandlongestlivedfreshwaterfishspeciesinNew
YorkState.ItwashistoricallyanabundantandwidelydistributedspeciesintheGreatLakes
drainage,butbytheearly20thcenturyoverharvestandhabitatdegradationresultedindrastic
populationdeclines.SeverelydepletedstocksultimatelyledtotheclosureoftheStateslake
sturgeonfisheryin1976.In1983,lakesturgeonwaslistedasaThreatenedSpeciesinNewYork
State,andpopulationswereconsideredabsent,sparseordecliningin6ofthe9watershedswhere
theyhistoricallyoccurred(Carlson1995).

LakesturgeonisconsideredapriorityspeciesforrecoveryinNewYorkStatebyinclusionasa
SpeciesofGreatestConservationNeed(NYSDEC2015)andbyvirtueofitslistingasaThreatened
Species.IthasbeenlistedasaspeciesofprimaryrestorationconcernbytheUSGeologicalSurvey
GreatLakesRestorationInitiative,andlakesturgeonrestorationisidentifiedamongthebinational
fishcommunityobjectivesofthefisheriesmanagementagenciesforbothLakeErie(Ryanetal2003)
andLakeOntario(Stewartetal2017).ANewYorkrecoveryplanwasfirstdevelopedin1994
(Bouton1994)andrevisedin2000and2005(Carlson2000,2005).Theinitialrecoverygoalwasto
establishfivelakesturgeonpopulationsinindividualwaters(Bouton1994).Thiswaslaterexpanded
tomaintainpopulationsinfivewatersandrestorepopulationsinthreeotherareas(Carlson1995,
2000).Thesepreviousplansspecifiedthatthespecieswouldbeeligibleforremovalfromthe
ThreatenedSpecieslist,ordownlistedtoaSpeciesofSpecialConcern(asdefinedinNYCodesRules
andRegulationsTitle6,Part182)ifselfsustainingpopulationsweredocumentedintheseeight
populations.Aselfsustainingpopulationwasdefinedatthattimeasthepresenceofatleast3year
classesofsexuallymatureadultfemales,andevidenceofnaturalrecruitmentinatleast3years
(Carlson2005).

Sincethe2005planrevision,newguidancethatdefinesaviablespawningpopulationat750
sexuallymaturefishhasbeenpublished(Welshetal.2010).Recentresearchcitedthroughoutthis
documenthasalsoprovidedinsightsonspawningpopulations,distribution,andstockingsurvival
amongotherthings.ThisiterationoftheNewYorkrecoveryplanpartitionsthehistoricrangeoflake
sturgeonintosevenManagementUnitsbasedondistributionofknownsturgeonpopulations,
movementwithinandamongpopulations,andthegeneticstructureoflakesturgeonpopulations
acrossthestate.TheManagementUnitsaredescribedbeginningonpage25ofthisdocumentand
withintheindividualsectionsforeachManagementUnit.Basedonourknowledgeofsturgeon
movement,eachManagementUnitmaycontainmorethanonespawningpopulation.

ThepurposeofthisrecoveryplanistoensureperpetuationofthespeciesinthisState,restoreself
sustainingpopulations,andremovethespeciesfromtheThreatenedSpecieslistinNewYork.To
achievethatgoal,recoverymetricsaredefinedthatmustbeachievedinsixoftheseven
ManagementUnitstosupportremovinglakesturgeonfromthelistofthreatenedspeciesinNew
York.Ataminimum,750sexuallymaturefishmustbepresentineachManagementUnitandthere
mustbeevidenceofongoingrecruitment,measuredbydetectionof3yearclassesofwild
reproductionina5yearperiod,toconsiderthatunitrecovered.

Recovery Goal
Establishormaintainsufficientselfsustainingpopulationsoflakesturgeonwithinsixoftheseven
ManagementUnitstowarrantdownlistingfromThreatenedtoSpecialConcern.

Successmetricsforselfsustainingpopulationsoflakesturgeonare:

Evidenceofatleast750sexuallymaturelakesturgeoninaManagementUnit.Thismaybe
determinedbyactualcensusnumbers,orbyacceptablescientificmethodstoestimate
populations.Inthecaseofpopulationestimates,thelowerlimitofthe95%confidence
intervalshouldbenolessthan500animalsand;
Wheresmallerspawningaggregationsaremeasuredandcollectivelyusedtomeetthe750
sexuallymaturelakesturgeonperManagementUnittarget,eachspawningaggregateshould
include150sexuallymatureadults.Inthecaseofpopulationestimates,thelowerlimitof
the95%confidenceintervalshouldbenolessthan80animals.
Evidenceofrecentnaturalrecruitmentinatleast3yearsofa5yearperiodina
ManagementUnit.

Welshetal.(2010)recommend750sexuallymatureadultsbecauseitrepresentstheminimum
numberthoughttobepresentinGreatLakespopulationsthatareconsideredtobeeitherstableor
increasinginabundanceEachManagementUnitisdelineatedasametapopulationthathasa
reasonablepotentialforinterbreeding.SevenhundredandfiftyadultsineachManagementUnit
shouldrepresentastablepopulationforageographicportionofthespeciesrangeinNewYork.
Further,thetargetof750matureadultsineachofmultipleManagementUnitsprovidesarobust
bufferagainstlargemortalityeventslikebotulismorviralhemorrhagicsepticemia(VHS)outbreaks.

How750sexuallymatureadultsismeasuredwillvaryfromManagementUnittoManagementUnit.
Measuringthenumberofindividualsinapopulationbycensusmeansthatatleast750unique
individualfishhavebeencapturedandrecordedfromaManagementUnit.Populationsmayalsobe
estimatedbyothermethodssuchasstatisticalmarkrecapture,estimationofsurvivalofstocked
fingerlings,orcountsconductedduringvideosurveillanceofspawningadults.Inthecaseof
statisticallycalculatedpopulations,thelowerlimitofthepopulationestimaterangeshouldbeno
fewerthan500animalsatthe95%confidenceinterval.

Additionally,individualriversandshoalswithinaManagementUnithavevariedcarryingcapacityfor
juvenilesturgeonandspawningadults.Individualspawningaggregationsthataresampledwithina
ManagementUnitmaycontainfewerthan750sexuallymatureadults,butifallthespawning
aggregationssampledinthatManagementUnitaddupto750sexuallymatureadults,thenthe
targetpopulationwillhavebeenachieved.Todefinewhatconstitutesaviablespawningaggregation
forinclusioninthemetapopulationofaManagementUnit,NYSDECreviewedmodellingdoneby
SchuellerandHayes(2011),whichfoundthepresenceof80to150postyoungofyearlake
sturgeonrepresentsalowprobabilityofextinctionover250years.Basedonthatmodel,the
recoverytargetmayincorporateanysmallerspawningaggregationofatleast150sexuallymature
adults.Ifthepopulationiscalculatedviamarkrecaptureorothersimilarsamplingmethods,the
10

lowerrangeofthepopulationestimateshouldbenolessthan80sexuallymatureindividualsatthe
95%confidenceinterval.Thisshouldinsurethatanysmallerspawningaggregationwillcontinueto
contributetothedesiredhealthymetapopulationwithinaManagementUnitfortheforeseeable
future.

Detectingevidenceofrecruitmentisalsoadifficultprocess.Samplingforbothlarvaeandjuveniles
islaborintensiveandunpredictable.However,gillnettingtechniquesusedtosampleadult
spawningaggregationsinNewYorkhavepickedupsturgeonthatagedasyoungas8yearsold.If
lakesturgeonintheyoungestyearclassesarecapturedconsistentlyeveryyear,thatcanserveas
evidenceofconsistentrecruitment.Alternatively,ifnettinginspawningtributariesprovesfeasible,
recruitmentmaybeindicatedbythecaptureof3yearclassesofjuvenilefishthatcanbeattributed
tonaturalreproductionina5yearperiod. Duetoannualvariabilityinspawningsuccessand
difficultiesinconsistentlycapturingjuvenilelakesturgeon,3outof5yearswaschosen.

Timeline for Recovery Action Implementation

TheNewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservationseekstogatherenoughevidenceof
recoveryoflakesturgeontoinitiateremovalfromthelistofThreatenedSpeciesinNewYorkno
laterthan2024.Thisisintendedtobeanadaptivemanagementprocesswithconcurrentactions
andmonitoring,withadjustmentsmadeannuallytoachieverecoveryoflakesturgeon.TheLake
SturgeonWorkingGroupandNYSDECstaffwilldeterminethesamplingspecificsandreviewdatafor
eachManagementUnit.Theirrecommendationsandfindingswillbeincorporatedintoannualwork
plansandanannualspeciesstatusreport.Determinationofrecoverywillbebasedoninformation
intheannualspeciesstatusreport,andoncetheRecoveryGoalisachieved,managementplanswill
bedevelopedtoaddressongoingneedswithineachManagementUnit.Ataminimum,monitoring
ofstockswillneedtocontinuetoensurelongtermviabilityofrecoveringpopulations.

Additionalinformationandresourceswillbeneededifalimitedfisheryistobeconsideredforlake
sturgeoninthefuture.Optionsforanykindoffisherycanonlybeweighedfollowingrecoveryand
removalfromthelistofThreatenedSpeciesunder6NYCRRPart182.Oncesixoftheseven
ManagementUnitsreachtherecoverytargets,theprocesstoremovelakesturgeonfromthelistof
threatenedspeciesinNewYorkwillbegin.

11

Natural History
Lakesturgeonisamemberofoneoftheoldestgroupsoffishes,theorderAcipenseriformes,and
modernformsappearedinthefossilrecord100millionyearsago.Sturgeonshavealargely
cartilaginousskeleton,aheterocercaltail(asymmetricalwithtoplongerthanbottom),aspiralvalve
intestine,andtheirjawdoesnotarticulatewiththecranium(MoyleandCech1988).Thesturgeons
aredistinctfromthepaddlefishbyhavingfiverowsofbonyplates,orscutes,onthebodywhichare
remnantsofganoidscales,andarealsodistinguishedbytheirprotrusible,bottomorientedmouth
(similartosucker)withfourbarbels(MoyleandCech1988).Thelakesturgeonisoneofthree
sturgeonspeciespresentinNewYork,alongwiththeshortnosesturgeon(Acipenserbrevirostrum)
andtheAtlanticsturgeon(Acipenseroxyrhynchus).Thelakesturgeonisthelargestcompletely
freshwaterfishinNewYork,averagingabout5feetinlength,butreachingover7feetforolder
specimensintheGreatLakes.Femalesgenerallygrowlargerthanmalesaftersexualmaturity(Bruch
1999).

Lakesturgeongrowquicklyandmaturelatecomparedtootherfishspecies.Theytypicallyreach
sexualmaturitybetweentheagesof14and33yearsand12and20yearsforfemalesandmales
respectively,thoughmaturemalesasyoungas8havebeencapturedinOneidaLake(R.Jackson,
CornellUniversity,personalcommunication).Femalesdonotspawnannuallyandtheperiodranges
fromevery3rdyeartoasinfrequentlyasevery9thyear(ScottandCrossman1973,Auer1999,Billard
andLecointre2001).Malesspawntypicallyeveryotheryear,butsometimeseveryyear(Auer1999,
Klindt2014)toasinfrequentlyasevery5thyear(BillardandLecointre2001).Malelakesturgeon
typicallyliveto55yearsandfemalesfrom80to150years.Highfecundityofmaturefemalesand
complexagestructureofpopulationshelpbufferpopulationsagainstshorttermenvironmental
perturbations(Petersonetal.2007).

Lakesturgeongenerallyliveinlakesandlargerriversandmigratetotributariesinthespringto
spawnwhenwatertemperaturesreach5355F(LaHayeetal.1992).Femalesaretypically
surroundedbymultiplemalefishduringspawningandbroadcastadhesiveeggsoverrockand
rubblesubstrate(Kempinger1988).Lakesturgeonabandonspawninglocationsimmediatelyafter
spawning(Auer1999,BruchandBinkowski2002;Peterson,etal.2007).Eggsincubatefor3to8
daysbeforehatchingwithoutparentalcare(LaHayeetal.,1992).

Lakesturgeonareopportunisticbenthicfeedersandtheirdietisdominatedbywhatisavailableto
themandtheirbodysize.Lakesturgeonjuvenilesandadultshavebeendocumentedtousesand
andmucksubstrates,feedingonawidevarietyofinvertebratesincludingChironomids,worms,
snails,isopods,amphipods,crayfishandDreissenidmussels(HarknessandDymond1961).Some
havealsobeenfoundtohavefishintheirgutincludingroundgobiesandsculpins.InOneidaLake,
lakesturgeonhavebeenfoundtoopportunisticallyfeedonwinterkillsofgizzardshad(R.Jackson,
CornellUniversity,personalcommunication).

Distribution
ThelakesturgeonisnativetolargelakesandriversthroughouttheGreatLakesBasinandfromthe
HudsonBaysouthintotheMississippidrainagetoAlabamaandnorthernMississippi,fromLakes

12

WinnipegandManitobatoLakeChamplainandtheSt.LawrenceRiver(Figure1.).InNewYork,they
arenativetotheGreatLakes,theSt.LawrenceRiverandLakeChamplain,includingconnecting
watersandmajortributariestothesewaters(Figure2).Historicrecordsoflakesturgeoncatches
fromthemid1800sinOneidaandCayugaLakesarelikelytheresultofmigrantsfromLakeOntario
throughthebargecanalandlocks(Carlson1995).Therefore,itisnotcertainthattheselakeswere
partoftheirnativerange.LakesturgeonwerehistoricallyrecordedasoccurringintheAllegheny
RiverasfarupstreamasWarren,PA,only20milessouthoftheNewYorkborder(PGCPFBC2015).

Figure1.HistoricandcurrentdistributionoflakesturgeonbywatershedintheUnitedStates
modifiedfromNatureServemap(NatureServe.org2013)toincluderangeinformationfromthe
PennsylvaniaStateWildlifeActionPlan(PGCPFBC2015).

13

Figure2.HistoricandrecentcollectionlocationsoflakesturgeoninNewYork,18842013(NYSDEC,
2014b).

Population Status History

Preindustrialto1860s
PriortoEuropeancontact,lakesturgeonwerecommonlyfoundinNewYorkwatersofLakeOntario,
LakeErieandtheSt.LawrenceRiveranditstributaries.Abundantspawningoccurredintributaries
nearrapidsandalongtherockyshoresofLakesOntarioandErie(Carlson1995).NativeAmericans
dependedonsturgeonasanearlyspringsourceofmeat.Theyalsousedtheskinsofsturgeonto
makejarsforstoringoil.Theswimbladdersprovidedthebaseforglueandpaint,andsomeNative
Americanwomenusedtheswimbladdertocreateisinglass,atypeofgelatin.Theisinglassbecamea
prominenttradeitemforNativeAmericancommunitiesontheCanadiansideoftheGreatLakes
aftercontactwithEuropeanfurtraders.Throughouttheirrange,theindustrialrevolutionand
buildingofmilldamsandmillsnearriversresultedinhabitatfragmentationaswellasdegradation

14

ofwaterquality,andinsomecasesevensmotheringoffeedingorspawninghabitatbymillwastes
(HarknessandDymond1961).

1860sto1976
Earlyinthisperiodlakesturgeonwerekilledasanuisancespeciesfordestroyingthegillnetsof
herringfisherman.Subsequently,lakesturgeonroewasdiscoveredasasuitablesubstitutefor
belugacaviaronceRussianstocksweredepleted.Bythe1870stheGreatLakesbecamethehubof
theUScommercialsturgeonfishery.Between1879and1900thetotalGreatLakescommercial
harvestoflakesturgeonaveragedover4millionpoundsannually.Thefisherypeakedin1885at8.6
millionpoundsacrosstheentireGreatLakesfishery,and5.2millionpoundsofthatwasharvestedin
LakeErie(USFishandWildlifeService2014b).InareviewofGreatLakesfisheriesof1885(Smith
andSnell1890),theauthorsnotedThemostextensivefisheryforsturgeonisatBuffalo.
Considerablequantitiesoccurthroughoutthelake,exceptinChautauquaCounty,NewYork,westof
Irving,andinMaumeeBayandRiver,wherethecatchissmall.Thegillnetandsetlinefisheriesin
BuffaloandErieCountyaloneharvested3.66millionpoundsoflakesturgeonthatyear.Bycontrast,
thefisheryforlakesturgeoninLakeOntariowasmuchmoremodest.Commerciallandingsreported
in1885were386,974pounds(SmithandSnell1890).

Lakesturgeonwerecommerciallyharvesteduntilthefisherycollapsed,inmanyplacesinlessthan
tenyears(HarknessandDymond1961).InNewYorkwaters,thedeclinetooklonger,butthe
fisherieswerereducedtominimumlevelsbythe1950sand1960s(Carlson1995).JolliffandEckert
(1971)concludedthattheSt.LawrenceRiverlakesturgeonpopulationbelowtheMosesSaunders
DamatMassena,NYwastheonlyremainingfisheryandprobablytheonlysustainablepopulation
withenoughindividualsnotconsideredindangerofbeingextirpated.However,NewYorksportion
ofLakeErieretainedaverysmallcommercialfisheryuntil1976,andtherewerelakesturgeon
presentinboththeUpperandLowerNiagarariversatthattime(C.Legard,NYSDEC,personal
communication).LakeChamplainalsosupportedacommercialfisheryprimarilyontheVermont
sideofthelakeintheMissisquoi,Lamoille,andWinooskiriversduringspringspawning.Norecord
ofspawningexistsontheNewYorksideofthelake.Vermontclosedtheircommercialfisheryin
1967andlistedlakesturgeonasendangeredin1972.TheNewYorkfisherystatewidewasofficially
closedin1976.

1976to1995
Atthetimeofthefisheryclosurein1976,onlytwospawningpopulationswereknowninNewYork.
TheywereinthelowerSt.LawrenceRivernearMassenaandintheGrasseRiveratMadrid.In
subsequentyears,littletonorecoveryoflakesturgeonwasobservedandthespecieswaslistedas
threatenedinNYin1983(Bouton1994).In1992and1993,NYSDECandmultiplefederal,provincial,
universityandindustrypartnersexperimentedwitheggtakesfromtheRiviredesPrairiesin
Montreal,Canada.The1992eggtakeattemptsfailedduetovandalism,but8adultsturgeonwere
releasedintothelowerOswegatchieRiver.Theeggtakein1993wassuccessfulandtwoto4inch
fingerlingswerestockedintheOswegatchie,GrasseandOswegorivers,aswellasintoMoonLake
andSixthtownPondinJeffersonCounty.Thefirstrecoveryplanwaswrittenin1994(Bouton1994)
andrecommendedcontinuedstockingintheOswegatchieandGrasseriversforthreemoreyearsto
establishpopulationsinthosesystems.Italsorecommendedtheselectionof6to8waterbodiesfor
lakesturgeonrestorationorpopulationenhancement.

15

Figure3.Stockinglocationsandnumbersoflakesturgeonstockedbyyear.Numbersinboldand
italicsindicatesmallfishthatwerenotexpectedtosurviveinappreciablenumbers.

StockingLocations

UpperOswegatchieRiver(rkm1895)
MiddleOswegatchieRiver(rkm818)
St.LawrenceRiverMiddleCorridor
OswegoRiver/SenecaRiver/Barge

St.LawrenceRiverLakeSt.Francis

SalmonRiver(FranklinCounty)
BlackLake/LowerOswegatchie
LakeOntarioEasternBays

RaquetteRiver
GeneseeRiver

St.RegisRiver
CayugaLake

OneidaLake

GrasseRiver
Year

Canal

1992 8
1993 35 7,000 10,000 2,000
1994 500 3,100
1995 2,800 5,000 2,250 2,750
1996 550 250 250 50 2,528
1997 250 250 2,987
1998 370 387 350 300 1,500 1,500 750
1999 320 534 300 1,200 1,200 1,200
2000 412 300 300 200 1,030 1,027
2001 FryMortality100%
2002 NoEggTake
2003 900 369 100 420 820
2004 1,000 200 1,200 200 1,530 2,210 860 1,200
2005 NoEggTake
2006 500
2007 NoEggTake
2008 NoEggTake
2009
2010 EggFailure
2011
2012 837
2013 1,047 2,500 7,500 500 1,000 100 1,000
2014 8,250 1,000 2,600 515 5,250 2,400 1,000 1,000 2,000 500 1,000 1,000
2015 7,500 1,000 2,600 500 2,500 300 1,700 2,000 500 1,000 1,000
2016 506 659 510 500 500 500 500 500 500

16

 1995toPresent
Throughouttheircurrentrange,researchershaveshownthatlakesturgeonpopulationsseemtobe
stableorincreasing(USFishandWildlifeService2014a),althoughnotyetclosetohistorical
abundances.Asof1997lakesturgeonabundancewasestimatedat1% ofhistoricallevelsacross
theirnativerange(HayChmielewskiandWhelan1997).Lakesturgeonwereformerlyabundant
fromsouthernCanadatothesoutheasternU.S.Theyareabsentinsomeofthesouthernportionsof
itsrange,suchasAlabama,andinhabitareducedrangeinIllinois,Indiana,andKentucky(St.Pierre
andRunstrom2004).

DespiteextraprotectionsconveyedbyitslistingasathreatenedspeciesinNewYork,lakesturgeon
showedlittlenaturalrecoverybetweenthefisheryclosureand1994,whenthefirstrecoveryplan
waswritten.Sincethattimeacombinationofactiveinterventionsthroughstocking,habitat
enhancement,andobservednaturalrecoveryhaveresultedinslowandsteadyprogressin
reestablishingpopulationsthroughoutthehistoricrangeinNewYorkState.

NewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservationstockedsturgeonin13locationsfrom
1995to2004,usinggametestakenfromthepopulationbelowtheMosesSaundersDaminMassena
(Figure3).Fromthiseggsource,populationswereestablishedin7waters:theGeneseeRiver,
CayugaLake,OneidaLake,theOswegatchieRiver,BlackLake,theRaquetteRiver,andtheSt.Regis
River.StockingsduringthatsameperiodalsoenhancedexistingpopulationsintheSt.Lawrence
River.

Inthelate1990stheUSFishandWildlifeService(USFWS)begansamplingtheLowerNiagaraRiver
toevaluatelakesturgeonpopulations.Bothadultandjuvenilelakesturgeonwerecapturedin1998
(Hughesetal.2005)andnumerousreportscameinfromthepublic,showingsturgeonusingmostof
thelowerNiagaraRiver.ArobustpopulationisrecoveringinthatpartofLakeOntariobasedon
continuingsampling.

Intheearly2000s,periodicoutbreaksofTypeEbotulismresultedinmortalitiesoflakesturgeonin
bothLakeErieandLakeOntarioandposedasetbackforrecoveringpopulations.Thosemortalities
weretrackedintermittently(Carlsonetal.2002).In2005,ViralHemhorragicSepticemia(VHS)was
detectedinLakeOntarioandsturgeoneggtakesweresuspendeduntilariskassessmentfor
transmissionoftheviruscouldbecompleted.Successfuleggtakesandstockingresumedin2012
whenstafffromtheUSFWSsGenoaNationalFishHatcheryjoinedDECinacooperativeeffortto
improvethesuccessofeggtakesandfingerlingproductionlevels.

InresponsetoincreasinglyfrequentlakesturgeonsightingsreportedbyanglersnearBuffalo,NY,in
2012,NYSDECbiologistsconductedasmallpilotnettingprogramwhichcapturedtwoadultlake
sturgeonnearBuffaloHarbor.Since2012,NYSDECandUSFWShavecollaboratedonamore
comprehensiveannualassessmentwhichisrevealinganaturalrecoveryineasternLakeErie(Legard
2015;Neuenhoffetal.2017).

From2013to2016lakesturgeonfingerlingswerestockedin9locations.Inthesametimeperiod,
youngfishspawnedbystockedpopulationsweredetectedinOneidaLake(Jacksonetal.2016)and
theOswegatchieRiver(NYSDECandUSFWSunpublisheddata).Ripefemaleshavebeencapturedin

17

theSenecaRiversince2013andripemalesfrompreviousstockingswerecapturedintheGenesee
Riverin2016(DawnDittman,USGS,personalcommunication).SeetheindividualManagementUnit
sectionsformoredetailedinformationonknownreproduction.Thepopulationlevelsandevidence
ofnaturalrecruitmentineachManagementUnitvaries,butthisvariationisconsistentthroughout
therangeofthespecies.

TheNYSDECwillstrivetodocumentcurrentpopulationlevelsandnaturalrecruitmentoverthenext
severalyearstosupportafindingofrecoverysufficienttowarrantdelistingthespecies.Basedon
thedataalreadygathered,aseparatespeciesstatusassessmentforlakesturgeonwillbeprepared
in2018,andwillbeupdatedannuallytoincorporatenewdataasitiscollected.

18

Statewide Recovery Actions

Somerecoveryactionsarebroadoradministrativeinnatureandareincludedhere.Otherlocation
specifictasksareoutlinedineachoftheManagementUnits.Recoveryactionswillbeconducted
and/orcoordinatedbyNYSDEC,withassistancefromUSFWS,USGS,CornellUniversity,St.Regis
MohawktribeandotherpartnersundertheauspicesoftheNewYorkLakeSturgeonWorking
Group.

Protection
Continuetoprotectlakesturgeonfromharvestbyenforcingfishingregulations.
Minimizeanglingmortalitythroughpubliceducation.
Continuetoprotectwaterqualitybyreviewingpesticideapplications,SPDESdischarges,and
otherlargeenvironmentaldisturbanceprojects.
Workwithhydropoweragenciestobringaboutanyhydrologicalchangesnecessaryto
ensurespawninghabitatsuitabilityinspawningrivers.

Management
Continuepropagationoflakesturgeonasneededforrecoveryandfuturemanagement
targets.
Enhanceorrestorespawninghabitatwhereappropriate,includingrestorationoffish
passage.

MonitoringandAssessment
Sampleknownspawningpopulationseachspringforaminimumof5consecutiveyearsto
estimatepopulationviamarkrecaptureorothercrediblemethod.
Longtermmonitoringofspawningpopulationsatleastonceeveryfiveyearsonce
populationgoalsareachieved.
Samplingjuvenilecongregationareasatleastonceeveryfiveyearsasthoseareasare
identified,byeitheracousticbathymetrysurveys,netting,orothermeans.
Assessexistingspawninghabitatforenhancementopportunities.

StatewideResearchNeeds
DevelopmethodstoestimaterecruitmentratesoflakesturgeonwithinManagementUnits.
Developrobustsamplingmethodsforjuvenile(age2to10)lakesturgeon.
IdentifyspawninglocationsforManagementUnitswheretheyareunknown.
Investigatespawningtributariesforareasofjuvenileaggregation.
Developnonlethalmethodsforcontaminantloadassessmentoflakesturgeonfleshand
eggs.

Outreach
Educateanglersaboutlongevityoflakesturgeonandlateageatfirstspawning,pastover
exploitationtosupportcompliancewithregulations
Producepamphletsandhandoutsanddevelopattentiongettingdisplaysforuseat
Sportsmensshows,fairs,andenvironmentaldays.

19

 Educateanglersabouttheneedtoletlakesturgeonspawnwithoutharassment,andthe
needtoreportillegalfishing.
Engagestatewidesportsmanorganizations,zoos,aquariumsandvolunteergroupstodeliver
messagesonlakesturgeonprotection.
ConsiderinitiatingvolunteerspawningwatchprogramsfollowingsimilareffortsinWisconsin
andMichigan.
Developchildappropriatemessagesaboutlakesturgeon;whatlakesturgeonare,whatrole
theyplayedinthepast,whatcausedthemtodecline.
Doinschoolpresentationsaboutsturgeon
Inviteschoolstoattendstockingevents
Supportzooandaquariumdisplaysaboutsturgeon
Developwebandsocialmediacontentaboutlakesturgeonrecoveryandmanagement
activity

Reporting
Annualprogresssummarieswillbeproducedbyallpartiesinvolvedinlakesturgeonrecovery
andmanagementactivities.Biologicaldata,tagginginformation,andrelevant
environmentalvariableswillbereportedinastandardizedformattotheregionalfisheries
manager.
ASpeciesStatusAssessmentReportwillbeproducedannuallybyNYSDECcontainingdata
andanalysiswithineachManagementUnitthatincludeslakesturgeonsize,age,population
structure,andtrends.

20

Management Unit Status and Recovery Actions

TofurtherclarifytherecoveryactionsforlakesturgeoninNewYork,thisrecoveryplanhasdivided
therangeoflakesturgeonintosevenManagementUnits(Figure4.).ManagementUnitsare
physiographicallyconnected,thoughpartialbarrierstofreepassageofthefishexistintheformof
damsandlocksintheriverineportionsofthemanagementunits.Theyarenamedanddescribedin
theboxesbelow.Geographicallysignificantfeaturesarelistedwithineachmanagementunitare
eitherknowncurrentorhistoricspawninglocations,significanthabitatfeatures,orareaswhere
restorationactivitieshavebeenidentified.Thecurrentstatusandneededrecoveryactionsare
outlinedforeachManagementUnit.

Figure4.LakeSturgeonManagementUnitsandshortdescription.

1. Lake Erie 2. Western Lake Ontario

CattaraugusCreek LowerNiagaraRiver
LakeErieoutlet(Buffaloandvicinity) NiagaraBar
UpperNiagaraRiver LowerGeneseeRiver

3. Central New York 4. Eastern Lake Ontario

OswegoRiver ChaumontBay
OneidaRiver BlackRiver
SenecaRiver OswegoRivermouth
OneidaLake/FishCreek SalmonRiver(OswegoCounty)
CayugaLake
OnondagaLake

5. Upper St. Lawrence River 6. Lower St. Lawrence River

St.LawrenceRiverCapeVincenttoMorristown St.LawrenceRiverfromtheMosesSaunders
St.LawrenceRiverMorristowntoMoses DamdownstreamtotheUSborder(LakeSt.
SaundersDam(LakeSt.Lawrencereach) Francisreach)
IroquoisDam GrasseRiver
OswegatchieRivermouth St.RegisRiver
RaquetteRiver
OswegatchieRiverfromOgdensburgtorkm95
SalmonRiver
BlackLake/IndianRiver

7. Lake Champlain* ThisManagementUnitisnotpartofNewYorks

RecoveryPlanforlakesturgeonatthistime.All
MissisquoiRiver,VT
spawningisontheVermontsideofLakeChamplain
LamoilleRiver,VT andtheVermontFishandWildlifeDepartmentis
WinooskiRiver,VT currentlymonitoringnaturalrecoveryinLake
OtterCreek,VT Champlaintributariesintheirstate.However,future
participationbyNYDECmaybeneeded.
*NoknownhistoricspawningareasinNewYork

21

Management Unit 1: Lake Erie

DescriptionandStatus

TheLakeErieManagementUnitencompassesNewYorksportionofeasternLakeErieandits
tributaries.

SignificantgeographicareaswithintheManagementUnitinclude:

CattaraugusCreekpossiblespawninghabitat,noobservations
LakeErieoutlet(Buffalovicinity)spawningandstagingarea,historicfisheryandpotential
forspawningintheBuffaloRiver
UpperNiagaraRiveradultconcentrationarea

Figure5.LakeErieManagementUnit

ThisManagementUnitisexperiencingnaturalrecoveryofthelakesturgeonpopulationfollowing
depletionthroughthehistoricfishery.Thenearshoreeasternbasinwatersofthelakeprovide
excellentfeedinghabitatandrecentstudiesshowlakesturgeonappeartoremaininthispartofthe

22

lake(Withersetal.2017).IntheLakeEriebasinofNewYork,lakesturgeonspawninghabitatlikely
occursalongtheshorelineandonreefhabitats,aswellastheUpperNiagaraRiverandsome
tributaries.Itisuncertainwherespawningisactuallyoccurring,butadultaggregationsareeasily
sampledinthevicinityofBuffalo,NYduringthespring.NYSDECandUSFWShavebeenmonitoringa
congregationofyoungadultlakesturgeonattheheadoftheUpperNiagaraRiveratspawningtime,
andhasdocumentednaturalreproductioninBuffaloHarbor(Legard2015;Neuenhoffetal.2017).
NospawningactivityhasbeenobservedinNewYorksportionofthelakeortributariesinrecent
history,soitisdifficulttodeterminewhetherthefishcapturedatBuffaloHarborwerespawned
nearbyormigratedfromotherpartsofthelake.ThestatesofMichiganandOhiohaverestoration
programsunderwayintheSt.ClairRiversystemandwesternbasinofthelake.

Thecurrent(2016)populationestimateusingtheSchnabelmethod(Schnabel1938)forthisBuffalo
Harborbreedingaggregationis806witharangeof457to1515atthe95%confidenceinterval.The
sampledpopulationispredominantlymaleandlessthan30yearsold.Fewjuvenilelakesturgeon
arecapturedfromyeartoyear,makingdeterminationofrecentrecruitmentdifficult.However,
sturgeonasyoungaseightyearsoldhaverecruitedtothegillnetsusedtoassessspawningadultsin
thislocation(NYSDECunpublisheddata).

RecoveryActions

Stocking
Notrecommendedatthistime.Naturalrecoveryappearstobewellunderway,butiffuture
stockingiswarranted,aneggsourcefromwithinthesamegeneticunitasdelineatedin
Welshetal.(2010)shouldbeused.

Habitatimprovement
Noneidentifiedatthistime,however,seeResearchsectionbelow

Monitoring
Annuallyusespringgillnettingofspawningadultstoupdatethepopulationestimatesfor
BuffaloHarbor,untilthepopulationestimaterangeatthe95%confidenceintervalisno
lowerthan500fish.
Wherepossible,verificationofongoingsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompleted(see
recruitmentconcernsinnarrativeabove).
Lakesturgeonsize,age,andpopulationstructurewillbeanalyzedfortrends.

Research
Historicspawningareasneedtobeinvestigatedtodeterminecurrentsuitabilityfor
spawning,andmonitoredforusebylakesturgeon.Moreresearchisneededinthisareato
trackpopulationrecoveryandidentifyusefulmanagementactions(suchasspawninghabitat
enhancement),whichmayimprovepopulationresilienceintothefuture.
InvestigategeneticstructureofknownspawningstockinLakeErie

23

 IdentifycurrentspawningareaswithinNewYorksportionofLakeErie,andidentifyspecific
areaprotectionneeds,particularlywithintheBuffaloRiverAreaofConcern.

OngoingImplementation
TheNYSDECLakeErieFisheriesandRegion9FisheriesUnits,alongwiththeUSFWS,conduct
andcoordinatemonitoringtasksforLakeErieandtheUpperNiagaraRiver.Thisworkshould
continue.
Annualreportingofprogressandrecoveryactionsforthismanagementunitwillbeprepared
forNYSDECsLakeErieannualreportpublishedeachMarch.

24

Management Unit 2: Western Lake Ontario

DescriptionandStatus

TheWesternLakeOntarioManagementUnitencompassestheNewYorkPortionofLakeOntario
anditstributariesfromtheNiagaraRiverdownstreamofNiagaraFallseasttoSodusBay.

SignificantfeatureswithintheManagementUnitinclude:
LowerNiagaraRiverspawninghabitatinthegorge
NiagaraBarcongregationandfeedingarea
LowerGeneseeRiverhistoricspawningarea

Figure6.WesternLakeOntarioManagementUnit

ThisManagementUnitisexperiencingnaturalrecoveryofthelakesturgeonpopulationinthe
NiagaraRiverandahistoricspawningandnurseryareaisbeingstockedforrecoveryinthelower
GeneseeRiver.ThispopulationisregularlysampledbyUSGSstaffviagillnettingandshowsgood
survivalandgrowthrates.WesternLakeOntarioisexcellentadultsturgeonhabitat.

25

ReproductionislikelyoccurringinthelowerNiagaraRiver,withseveralyoungadultyearclasses
documentedovertime(Biesingeretal.2014).TheannualsurvivalusingaCormackJollySeber
estimatorcalculatedbyUSFWSin2016forthelowerNiagaraRiveris88%withacaptureprobability
of3%.Thisestimatorlikelyunderestimatessurvival,becauselakesturgeonoftenleavingspawning
riversystemsforlongperiodsoftimemakingthemunavailableforrecapture.Usingthesevalues,
USFWScalculatedaJollySeberpopulationestimateof7600individualswitharangeof5900and
9800individualsatthe95%confidenceinterval.

Ageestimatesofsampledlakesturgeonshowthat92%ofsturgeoncapturedoriginatedfromthe
19922004yearclasseswithlittletonorecruitmentbeingdetectedfromotheryears.Thiswas
inspectedforasamplingbiasofcertainagedfishandwasfoundnotsignificant(DimitryGorsky,
USFWS,personalcommunication).Possibleexplanationsforthefailuretodetectyoungeryear
classesoflakesturgeonarehabitatchangesinthesamplingareamakingitlessattractivetojuvenile
sturgeon,oralackofappreciablerecruitmentinrecentyears.

The1,900lakesturgeonstockedintheGeneseeRiverin2003and2004areestimatedtohavean
overallsurvivalrateof26%,resultinginapopulationestimateofabout494forthosetwoyear
classes.Additionalstockinghascontinuedannuallyfrom2013andisexpectedtohaveasimilar
survivalrate.Basedonthatsurvivalrateandthenumbersofstockedfish,theoverallpopulationis
estimatedtobe1,288sturgeonranginginagefrom1to14in6cohortsasof2016.

By2015,fewofthe2003and2004stockedsturgeonremainedresidentintheGeneseeRiver(D.
Dittman,2017).However,aspreviouslynoted,ripemalesfromthosecohortswerecapturedin
springof2016intheriver.ThestockedfemalepopulationintheGeneseeRiverwillreachtheageof
maturityby2020andevidenceofsuccessfulspawningisnotexpecteduntilthen.

RecoveryActions

Stocking
NostockingisrecommendedinthelowerNiagaraRiveratthistime.

Continuelowlevelstockingtoexpandyearclassstructureandgeneticvariationinthe
GeneseeRiver.Stockinggoalof1,000lakesturgeonperyearinGeneseeRiveruntil2024or
recoverygoalsaremet.

Habitatimprovement
Noneidentifiedatthistime.

26

Monitoring
ContinuestandardsetlinesurveysbyUSFWStoassessthepopulationofsturgeoninthe
LowerNiagaraRiver.Lakesturgeonsize,sex,age,andpopulationstructurewillbeassessed.
ContinuegillnetsurveysofjuvenilesturgeonintheGeneseeRivertorefinesurvivaland
populationestimatesuntilthepopulationestimaterangeatthe95%confidenceintervalis
nolowerthan500adultlakesturgeon.
NewmonitoringofspawningactivityintheGeneseeRivershouldbeinitiatednolaterthan
spring2020.

Research
InvestigatewheresturgeonarespawninginthelowerNiagaraRiverand
InvestigateifjuvenilesturgeonareusinghabitatoutsidethelowerNiagaraRivertoexplain
thedeclineinjuvenilecapturesintheriver.

OngoingImplementation
TheUSFWSisresearchingtheLowerNiagaraRiverlakesturgeonpopulation.Further
researchtodeterminespawninglocationsandcontinuedassessmentsofrecruitmentfrom
thoselocationsisnecessary.
USGSiscurrentlymonitoringtheGeneseeRiverlakesturgeonpopulation.Themonitoringof
thepopulation,seasonaluseoftheriver,growth,andsurvivalafterstockingshould
continue.
USFWSandUSGSstaffwillsubmitannualfindingstoNYSDECRegion8staffforannual
reporting.

27

Management Unit 3: Central New York

DescriptionandStatus

TheCentralNewYorkManagementUnitincludestheinlandwatersofCentralNewYorkdrainingto
LakeOntario.

SignificantgeographicfeatureswithintheManagementUnitinclude:
OswegoRiver/OneidaRiver/SenecaRiverspawningsuspectedatMudLocksinMontezuma
NWRandCaughdenoyDam
OneidaLake/FishCreekstockedpopulation;spawningsuspectedinFishCreek;wildrecruit
fishcaptured
CayugaLake/FallCreekstockedpopulation;survivalofstockedfishdocumentedthrough
annualfallnettingofadults;observedspawningactivityinFallCreek

Figure7.CentralNYManagementUnit.

ThesewaterswerehistoricallyseparatedfromLakeOntariobynaturalbarriersuntiltheopeningof
theErieCanalin1825.TherearereputablereportsoflakesturgeonfromCayugaLakeandOneida
Lakeafterthistime.ThewatersofthisManagementUnithavebeenstockedtotakeadvantageof

28

highlyproductivelakesthatsupportametapopulationoflakesturgeon.Sturgeonhavebeen
documentedtomigratefromOneidaLaketotheOneida/Seneca/OswegoRiversystemand
OnondagaandCrosslakes.OneidaLakereceived9,636sturgeonfingerlingsin10yearclasses
between1995and2016.CayugaLakereceived10,431fingerlingsinthesametimeperiodfrom8
yearclasses.StockedresidentfisharenowpresentinOneidaLake,CayugaLake,andtheSeneca
RiverandcanalsystemupstreamanddownstreamthroughouttheOswegoRiver(Chalupnickietal.
2011).TheoutletstoOneidaandCayugalakesaredammed,butaswiththecanalandriversinthe
ManagementUnit,lakesturgeoncanmovethroughlockstoreenterthelakes.

HighgrowthandsurvivalratesinOneidaLakemakethispopulationanexcellentspeciesstronghold
intheoverallrecoveryoflakesturgeon(Jacksonetal.2002).Markrecapturestudiesconductedby
CornellFieldStationstaffatShackletonPointresultedinanestimated1,790fishsurvivingfromthe
1995stockingcohort(95%confidenceinterval11142970).Thiscorrespondstoanapproximately
30%overallsurvivalrateafter7years.Extrapolationofthe30%survivalratetoallstockedfish
wouldresultinanoverallpopulationestimateof2,891sturgeonbetweentheagesof1and22years
old.Themajorityofthepopulationare22yearoldfishfromthe1995stockingoflakesturgeon
originatingfromRiviredesPrairies,Quebecbroodstock.

AnnualfallgillnettingnearTaughannockStateParkhasshownsurvivaltomaturityofsomeofthe
stockedsturgeoninCayugaLake.Eightylakesturgeonhavebeenhandledover16yearsofnetting,
however,abundantsealampreypopulationsinCayugaLakearethoughttohavehamperedsurvival
offishstockedthere,thougheffortsatsealampreycontrolhaveresumed.Spawningadultswere
observedinFallCreekinIthaca,NYinspringof2017.

ThismanagementunithasdocumentedreproductionoccurringintheOneidaLakesystem(Jackson
etal.2010),andCornellUniversityresearchershavecapturedwildproducedfishfromthe2011,
2012,2014yearclassesinOneidaLake(Jacksonetal.2017).Spawningisalsosuspectedwithin
Oneida/Seneca/OswegoRiversystematFulton,Cayugaoutlet,andCaughdenoyDam.Spawning
bedsbuiltinMontezumaNationalWildlifeRefugeattractedspawningadultsin2016.

RecoveryActions

Stocking
ContinuelowlevelstockingtoexpandyearclassstructureandgeneticvariationinCayuga
LakeandOneidaLake.
o 2000lakesturgeonperyearinCayugaLakeuntilrecoveryisachieved.
o 500lakesturgeonperyearinOneidaLakeuntilrecoveryisachieved.

29

Habitatimprovement
Createspawninghabitatstructuresinordertofacilitatenaturalreproductionwhere
spawninghabitatislimitingandconstructionisfeasible.Iflakesturgeonusethenew
spawningbedsatMudLocks,thenothersuitablelocationsintheSenecaRiver/Cross
Lake/OswegoRiversystemshouldbeidentifiedandspawningbedsbuiltthereaswell.
ContinuelampreytreatmentsinCayugaLaketoenhancesurvivalandfitnessoflakesturgeon

Monitoring
UsegillnetsduringfalllaketrouteggtaketocontinuetoassesslakesturgeoninCayuga
Lake.
UsegillnetstoassesslakesturgeonintheSenecaRiver/CrossLake/OswegoRiversystem.
InOneidaLake,PITtaggatewaysshouldbeused(ratherthangillnets)formonitoring
spawningactivityinFishCreekandothertributariestoavoidconflictswithanglersinthe
spring.
VerificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompletedinFishCreek.
VerificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompletedinFallCreek.
MonitortoxicsubstanceswithinlegacycontaminantareasoftheManagementUnit,suchas
OnondagaLake,wherepossiblebysendingsturgeontissuesamplesfromthismanagement
unittoananalyticallabforanalysis.

Research
Trackpopulationrecovery,determineanyimpedimentstothatrecovery(suchasmigration
barriers),andidentifypotentialmanagementactionswhichmayimproveresilienceofthese
populationsintothefuture.
EstimaterecruitmentratesinOneidaLake.
InvestigatethesuitabilityofOneidaLakessturgeonpopulationasaneggsourceforfuture
propagationneeds.

OngoingImplementation
TheUSGSismonitoringtheOneida/Seneca/Oswegoriverssystem,andthisworkshould
continue.
NYSDECRegion7FisheriesismonitoringtheCayugaLakepopulationoflakesturgeon,and
thisworkshouldcontinue.
CornellUniversityismonitoringthelakesturgeonpopulationbystandardgillnettingin
OneidaLakeandthismonitoringshouldcontinue.
USGS,USFWS,andCornellUniversitystaffwillsubmitannualfindingstoNYSDECRegion7
staffforannualreporting.

30

Management Unit 4: Eastern Lake Ontario

DescriptionandStatus

TheEasternLakeOntarioRecoveryUnitincludestheNewYorkportionofLakeOntarioandits
tributariesfromSodusBaytoCapeVincent,NY.

SignificantfeatureswithintheManagementUnitinclude:
ChaumontBaynurseryhabitat
BlackRiverspawningarea;
OswegoRivermouthhistoricspawningarea
SalmonRiverlargetributary

Figure8.EasternLakeOntarioManagementUnit.

LakesturgeonwereknownhistoricallyfromtheOswegoRivermouthandtheBlackRiver.Thereisa
naturallyrecoveringpopulationinthismanagementunit,thoughitislikelybenefittingfrom
stockingsintheCentralNewYorkManagementUnit.LakesturgeontaggedinOneidaLakehave
beenrecoveredintheBlackRiver,andsturgeonareknowntomigrateoutoftheCentralNY

31

ManagementUnitregularly.FishhavebeencapturedinthemouthoftheOswegoRiverbelowthe
damatthepowerstation(NYSDEC2010).PotentialspawningareamayexistinthelowerOswego
River,butneedstobeinvestigated.SpawninghasbeendocumentedintheBlackRiver(Klindtand
Adams,2006)withasingleeggcapturedinaneggtrap,captureofriperunningindividuals,and
videofootageofspawningbehavior.152individualfishhavebeentaggedintheBlackRiverby
NYSDECbetween2009and2016(RodgerKlindt,NYSDEC,personalcommunication).

CurrenthatcherypracticesinNewYorkandatthefederalhatcheryinGenoa,WIincludetheearly
releaseoflakesturgeonfrythatarenotthrivinginthehatcheryenvironment.ChaumontBayisone
locationdesignatedforearlyreleaseoflakesturgeonfry.

RecoveryActions

Stocking
NostockinginthisManagementUnitisrecommendedatthistimeatthistime(seenote
abouthatcheryreleaseabove).

HabitatImprovement
AddcobbleandgravelsubstrateinthelowerBlackRivertoincreasetheavailablespawning
habitatforlakesturgeonandotherspecies.

Monitoring
ContinuetousegillnettingtoassesslakesturgeonintheBlackRiver.
Additionalverificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompleted.
SamplingforspawningadultsshouldbeinitiatedinthemouthoftheOswegoRiver.

Research
ResearchsurvivalestimatesforearlyreleaselakesturgeonfryinChaumontBay.

Implementation
NYSDECRegion6ismonitoringtheBlackRiverspawningaggregationandthisworkshould
continue.
NYSDECRegion6willprepareannualreportoffindings.

32

Management Unit 5: Upper St. Lawrence River

DescriptionandStatus

TheSt.LawrenceRiverManagementUnitincludestheNewYorkportionoftheSt.LawrenceRiver
anditstributariesfromCapeVincent,NYtotheMosesSaundersDam.

SignificantfeatureswithintheManagementUnitinclude:
St.LawrenceRiverreachfromCapeVincenttoMorristownhistorichabitatandfishery
IroquoisDamdocumentedspawningontheNYPAconstructedbedsatthedam
St.LawrenceRiverreachfromMorristowntotheMosesSaundersDam
OswegatchieRivermouthhistorichabitatandfishery
LowerOswegatchieRiverreachfromrkm8atOgdensburgtorkm18atHeuveltonincluding
BlackLakeandIndianRivertoRossiestockedpopulation
MiddleOswegatchieRiverreachfromrkm18atHeuveltontotorkm95atNaturalDam
stockedpopulation;wildrecruitjuvenilescaptured

Figure9.UpperSt.LawrenceManagementUnit.

33

LakesturgeonwereknownhistoricallythroughouttheSt.LawrenceRiverandintheOswegatchie
Rivermouth.Lakesturgeonarecurrentlyknowntospawnonthecreatedbedsupanddownstream
oftheIroquoisDam.Lakesturgeonarealsoconsistentlycaughtvianettingatthemouthofthe
OswegatchieRiveratOgdensburg,includingripemales.

WhilesuitablespawninghabitatisknowntoexistinthemouthoftheOswegatchie,nospawning
behaviorhasbeenobserved.CurrenthatcherypracticesinNewYorkincludetheearlyreleaseof
lakesturgeonfrythatarenotthrivinginthehatcheryenvironmentandstockingofsurplusfishfrom
theUSFWSfederalhatcheryinGenoa,WI.TheOswegatchieRivermouthisonelocationdesignated
forearlyreleaseoflakesturgeonfryandsmallfingerlings.ThemiddleOswegatchieRiverreachhas
beenstockedsince1993andreceived13stockingsasof2013(Figure3.).In1992,sixadultlake
sturgeonweretrappedintheSt.LawrenceRiverandtransferredtojustbelowthedamat
Heuvelton.

TheNewYorkPowerAuthoritybuilttwospawningbedsin2007,oneupstreamandone
downstreamoftheIroquoisPowerDamintheSt.LawrenceRiver.Inspring2008,videomonitoring
confirmedthepresenceofspawningsturgeon.Eggmatsandlarvaldriftnetsfurtherconfirmedthat
spawningwassuccessful.Datafromcontinuedmonitoringin2009revealedacalculatedpopulation
of709(249to1,230;95%confidenceinterval)adultsontheupstreamspawningbedonJune8
duringthespawningpeak(EnvironnementIllimite,Inc,2010).LaterreportingbyDEConthesame
bedsin2013showed[b]etween120400sturgeonhavebeenobservedonthespawningbedson
thepeakdaysduringeachofthefiveyears(20082012)monitoredtodate(NYSDEC,2013).Later
NYSDECreportsshowthatnumbersofspawningsturgeoncontinuetovaryfromyeartoyear
(NYSDEC2014a,2015b,2016).

NYSDEC,USFWS,andUSGShavesampledthemiddleOswegatchieRiverfromHeuveltonDam
upstreamtoNaturalDam.Stockedlakesturgeonappeartohavesurvivedandgrownwellinthis
segmentbasedonfollowupnettingworkbyNYSDEC,USFWSandUSGS.In2016,NYSDECand
USFWSstaffcaptured16suspectedwildreproducedsturgeonfromtheOswegatchieRiverabove
Heuvelton.Finrayswerecollectedfrom12ofthesejuvenilesandsectionedforagecalculation.The
12juvenileswereassignedtosixyearclassesbetween2002and2011potentiallyindicatingsixyears
ofsuccessfulwildreproduction.

AdamatOgdensburg,NYseparatestheOswegatchieRiverfromtheSt.LawrenceRiver,butfish
passagehasbeencreatedattwobarriersupstreamofOgdensburg.Anaturelikefishwaywas
completedatEelWeirin2015.FishpassageisunderconstructionatHeuveltonandwilllikelybe
completedin2018.

RecoveryActions

Stocking
Continuelowlevelstockingtoexpandyearclassstructureandgeneticvariationin
OswegatchieRiverandBlackLake.
o 1000lakesturgeonperyearinLowerOswegatchieRiveruntilrecoverygoalismet.

34

 o 1000lakesturgeonperyearinBlackLakeuntilrecoverygoalismet.
o 1000lakesturgeonperyearinMiddleOswegatchieRiveruntilrecoverygoalismet.

Habitatimprovement
PursuepassageatOgdensburgDamtorestoresturgeonmigrationfromtheSt.Lawrence
RivertothelowerOswegatchieRiver.

Monitoring
Usevideomonitoringorotherappropriatemethodtoestimatethespawningpopulationof
lakesturgeonusingtheIroquoisDamspawningbedsannually.
TrackannualabundanceandrecruitmentwithlarvaldriftnetsattheIroquoisDam.
AdultpopulationsinthemiddleOswegatchieandBlackLakesystemshouldbefurther
evaluatedtoassessstockingsurvival.Parametersshouldincludeagestructureandmark
recapturepopulationestimates.
UsegillnettingtoassesslakesturgeonintheOswegatchieRiverandBlackLake.
VerificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompletedintheMiddleandLower
OswegatchieRiverandIndianRiver.
Movementstudiesshouldbeusedtoevaluatethesuccessoftherestoredfishpassageon
theOswegatchieRiver.

Research
IdentifyspawninglocationswithintheOswegatchieRiverSystem

OngoingImplementation
NYSDECandpartnersareannuallymonitoringspringuseoftheartificialspawningbedsat
theIroquoisDam.Thismonitoringshouldcontinue.
NYSDECRegion6willprepareanannualreportoffindings.

35

Management Unit 6: Lower St. Lawrence River

DescriptionandStatus

TheLowerSt.LawrenceManagementUnitextendsfromtheMosesSaundersdamdownstreamto
theNewYorkState/USborderandincludestheNYportionoftheLakeSt.FrancisreachoftheSt.
LawrenceRiver.

SignificantfeatureswithintheManagementUnitinclude:
MosesSaundersDamupstreamboundaryofLakeSt.Francisandsiteofannualegg
takeforsturgeonpropagation
LakeSt.FrancislargeimpoundmentoftheSt.Lawrencethatconnectsspawning
tributariestoopenwaterhabitat
GrasseRiversiteofanaturallyrecoveringspawningpopulationbothaboveand
belowtheMassenaWeir
RaquetteRiverhistoricspawninghabitat;stockedpopulation
St.RegisRiverhistoricspawninghabitat;stockedpopulation
SalmonRiverhistoricspawninghabitat;stockedpopulation
St.RegisMohawkTribalNationTerritory

36


Figure10.LowerSt.LawrenceManagementUnit.

Thismanagementunitisexperiencingnaturalrecoveryofitslakesturgeonpopulationimmediately
downstreamoftheMosesSaundersDamandisthesourceofmatureadultscapturedforeggtakes
thatsupporttheNYstockingprogram.TheGrasseRiverisalsohometoanaturallyrecoveringand
mostlyresidentlakesturgeonpopulationinboththeupperandlowerreaches,separatedbythe
breachedweirandrapidsinMassena.

WhilethelargestremainingpopulationoflakesturgeonoccursintheSt.LawrenceRiver
downstreamoftheMosesSaundersDamatMassena,eventhispopulationismuchreduceddueto
waterqualityandhabitatdegradationandoverfishing(LaPanetal1998).Thereisdocumented
naturalreproductionoflakesturgeonaboveandbelowtheMosesSaundersDam,aswellasinthe
GrasseRiver(Trestedatal.2011aand2011b).TheRaquetteRiverhassomeindicationofnatural
reproductionbydirectobservationofspawningfish,orcaptureoffishtooyoungtohavebeen
stocked(Dittman,personalcommunication).Ithasalsoreceivedfivesturgeonstockingssince2004.
TheSalmonRiverinFranklinCountyhasalsobeenstockedwithlakesturgeonsince2012.

ThepopulationoflakesturgeondownstreamoftheMosesSaundersDamhasbeenrecoveringsince
theclosureoftheNYfisheryin1976and1178uniquefishhavebeenhandledbyDECstaffinthis
areabetween1992and2016.Thelengthfrequencydataforthefishcapturedhereduringthespring
eggtakesshowabellcurveagestructureindicativeofahealthypopulation.
37


TheGrasseRiverpopulationhasbeenreconnectedfromtheSt.LawrenceRivertothedamin
MadridbyabreachintheweiratMassena.Trestedetal.(2011aand2011b)estimatedthe
populationat739(rangeof3371249@95%CIinMARK)fortheGrasseRiver.Theagestructure
was0to32basedon196individualssampledandtheannualmortalityof7to14yearoldswas
16.8%(Trestedetal.2011aand2011b).

TheSt.RegisRiverhasbeenreconnectedwiththeSt.LawrenceuptoBrasherFallsbytheremovalof
theHogansburgDamin2016.SamplingbyUSGSin2004and2005captured121juvenilesturgeon
thatrepresentedallthestockedyearclassesofthe4,977fingerlingsstockedfrom1998to2004in
thatriver.TheSalmonRiverhasbeenreconnectedtotheSt.LawrenceRiverbyremovaloftheFort
CovingtonDamin2009.ThereisanongoingNativeAmericanfisherywithinthesovereignterritory
oftheSt.RegisMohawkTribeandtheadjoiningMohawkCouncilofAkwesasneFirstNationlandsin
Canada.

RecoveryActions

Stocking
Evaluatebenefitoflowlevelstockingtoexpandyearclassstructureandgeneticvariationin
GrasseRiver,onceremediationofPCBsiscompleted.
ContinuestockinginRaquetteRiver,St.RegisRiver,SalmonRiver,andSt.LawrenceRiver.
o 1000lakesturgeonperyearinRaquetteRiveruntiltherecoverygoalismet.
o 1000lakesturgeonperyearinSt.RegisRiveruntiltherecoverygoalismet.
o 1000lakesturgeonperyearinSalmonRiver(FranklinCounty)untiltherecoverygoal
ismet.

Habitatimprovement
Notrecommendedatthistime

Monitoring
UsestandardnettingprotocoltoassesslakesturgeonintheGrasseRiver.Lakesturgeonsize
andage,populationstructure,distribution,anduseofavailablespawninghabitatshouldbe
assessed.Wherepossible,verificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompleted.
UsestandardnettingprotocoltoassessstockedlakesturgeonsurvivalintheSalmonRiver.
UsestandardnettingprotocoltoassesslakesturgeonintheSt.RegisRiver.Lakesturgeon
sizeandage,populationstructure,distribution,anduseofavailablespawninghabitatwillall
beassessed.Wherepossible,verificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompleted.
UsestandardnettingprotocoltoassesslakesturgeonintheRaquetteRiver.Lakesturgeon
sizeandage,populationstructure,distribution,anduseofavailablespawninghabitatwillall
beassessed.Wherepossible,verificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbecompleted.
UsestandardnettingprotocoltoassesslakesturgeonintheSt.LawrenceRiver.Lake
sturgeonsizeandage,populationstructure,distribution,anduseofavailablespawning

38

 habitatwillallbeassessed.Wherepossible,verificationofsuccessfulspawningshouldbe
completed.
Monitortoxicsubstanceswherepossiblebycollectinglakesturgeontissuesamplesfor
analysis.CoordinatewiththestateDepartmentofHealthandUSEPAregardingtheresultsof
theseanalyses,especiallywithintheSt.LawrenceAreaofConcern.

Research
ConductmovementstudiestobetterunderstandhowtheLowerSt.LawrenceManagement
Unitfunctionsasametapopulation.
IdentifyspawninglocationswithintheManagementUnit.
Investigateuseofspawningtributariesbybothstockedfishandwildfishovertimetoseeif
stockingjuvenilelakesturgeonintospawningtributariesattractsnearbyadultlakesturgeon
toappropriatespawninghabitat.
SupportSt.RegisMohawkuseofthesturgeonresourceintheirterritorybyprovidingdatato
determinesustainableharvestlevelsandsafeconsumptionlevels.

Implementation
USGShasresearchedthetributariestotheSt.LawrenceRiver,butmoreeffortisneededto
documentpopulationlevelsintheSt.Regis,RaquetteandSalmonrivers.
TheSt.RegisMohawktribeismonitoringrestorationsuccess,searchingforlocationsfor
habitatenhancement,andmonitoringcontaminantlevelsinlakesturgeonintheGrasse,
Raquette,St.RegisandSt.LawrenceRivers.Thisworkshouldcontinue.
NYSDECRegion6andUSFWSareworkingtogethertocollecteggsfromfishcaughtnear
MassenaintheSt.LawrenceRiver,toraiseinNYSDECandUSFWShatcheries,andstock
thembackintowatersofNewYorkstate.
NYSDECRegion6willprepareanannualreportoffindings.

39

Management Unit 7: Lake Champlain*

DescriptionandStatus
NewYork,VermontandtheProvinceofQuebecallborderLakeChamplain.

Figure11.LakeChamplainManagementUnit.

LakesturgeonwerecommerciallyfishedinLakeChamplainonasmallscalefromthe1800stothe
closureofthefisherybyVermontandNYin1967and1976respectively.Historicrecordsonly
documentlakesturgeonspawningintributariesontheVermontsideofLakeChamplain.The
VermontFishandWildlifeDepartmenthasreleasedarecoveryplanforlakesturgeonthatcallsfor
naturalrecoveryandnostockingatthistime.NewYorkdoesnothaveanactiveroleinrecovering
lakesturgeoninLakeChamplainatthistime,butwillsupporttheongoingrecoverymonitoringby
VermontFishandWildlifeDepartment.

DocumentationofnaturalrecoveryinLakeChamplainisbasedontheStateofVermontsLake
ChamplainLakeSturgeonRecoveryPlandatedFebruary2016andbasedonthefollowingmetrics:
Indexnettingyieldsatotalpopulationestimateofatleast200spawningadultsineachofthe
Mississquoi,Lamoille,andWinooskirivers.

40

 Thelakewidepopulationestimateoflakesturgeonis1000individualsorgreater.

SignificantfeatureswithintheManagementUnitinclude:

MissisquoiRiver(VT)
LamoilleRiver(VT)
WinooskiRiver(VT)
OtterCreek(VT)

*NoknownhistoricspawningareasinNewYork


RecoveryActions

Stocking
Nostockingisrecommendedatthistime.

Habitatimprovement
Noneidentifiedatthistime.

Monitoring
VTDFWmonitorstributariesforspawningactivityandfishpassageattempts.

Research
Noneidentifiedatthistime

Implementation
NYSDECRegion5iscoordinatingwithVermontFishandWildlifestafftotrackrecoveryof
lakesturgeoninLakeChamplain.NewYorkwillcontinuetoimplementregulatoryprotection
forlakesturgeonincoordinationwiththestateofVermont.

41

Next Steps

Uponadoptionofthisplan,NYSDECwillcontinuetoworkwithitspartnersviatheNewYorkState
LakeSturgeonWorkingGroup.Partnerorganizationscurrentlyinclude:

USFishandWildlifeService(multipleoffices)
USGeologicalSurvey
St.RegisMohawkTribe
TuscaroraNation
CornellUniversity
SUNYEnvironmentalScience&Forestry
NYSeaGrant
AquariumofNiagara

Theworkinggroupwillmeetannuallytoevaluaterecoverymetrics,availabledata,andrecommend
adjustmentstoongoingmanagementactionsaccordingly.Theworkinggroupwillrecommend
annualtaskstobeundertakenbyinvolvedpartners,orseeknewpartnerstoaccomplishthe
recoveryandmanagementgoalsforlakesturgeon.Specifictaskstobeaccomplishedinclude:

ReviewexistingdataonlakesturgeonpopulationswithineachManagementUnit.
o Examineexistingdataonpopulationabundanceforconformancewiththerecovery
metricsandassignconfidencetotheresults.
o RefineandexpandknowninformationoneachManagementUnitsphysiographic
characteristics,includingcriticalhabitatareasforspawning,migration,andfeeding.
o Developorrefinesamplingmethodsanddatacalculationsforpopulationestimates.
o Refineneededhabitatmanagementrecommendations.
o Refineresearchquestionsanddevelopscopesofworksuitabletosupportfunding
requests.
DevelopaLakeSturgeonSpeciesStatusAssessmentDocumentbyJanuary2019.
o UpdatetheLakeSturgeonSpeciesStatusAssessmentDocumentannually.
Developapublicoutreachandeducationstrategy.Messagedevelopmentshouldincludethe
followingtargets:
o reducingincidentalmortalitiesandpoaching
o informingthepublicofprogressinthespeciesrecovery
o basiclifehistoryinformationforlakesturgeoninNewYork

OncerecoverymetricsareachievedinsixofthesevenManagementUnits,NYSDECwillinitiatethe
regulatoryprocesstoremovelakesturgeonfromthelistofThreatenedSpeciesunder6NYCRRPart
182.Therecoverydeterminationisbased,inpart,onthelikelihoodofthespeciesremaininghealthy
andstableinNewYorkwithoutthespecificprotectionsconveyedby6NYCRRPart182.Future
managementactions,includingpotentialestablishmentofafishery,canonlybeinitiatedoncethe
speciesisremovedfromthelistofThreatenedSpecies.

42

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