Endangered Lake and Pallid Sturgeons
Missouri’s aquatic dinosaurs struggle for survival
Sturgeon evolved more than 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Era when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Unlike the other dinosaurs, however, sturgeon managed to survive the continental shifts, volcanoes and glaciers that formed North America. Although sturgeon are masters of survival, they can’t compete against overharvest and habitat loss. In just the last 100 years, humans have driven two of the three species of sturgeon found in Missouri nearly to the brink of extinction.
On the brink
Sturgeons in Missouri's two great rivers are suffering from a one-two punch like nothing else in their 150 million-year history. One punch is change in the rivers themselves. Channelization for barge traffic has eliminated most of the places they once found shelter, food and spawning sites. The second punch is increased demand for North American sturgeon eggs (also known as “roe”), which are used to make caviar.
The first punch: habitat change and loss
The development of the Missouri River from 1934 to 1972 for navigation and flood control drastically reduced lake and pallid sturgeons’ critical habitat. From Rulo, Nebraska to the mouth, the Missouri River was shortened by more than 45 miles, lost 50 percent (121,740 acres down to 60,954 acres) of its surface water acreage, and had 98 percent of its island habitat eliminated. The photos above show the loss of fish habitat near Indian Cave Bend, Nebraska.
The second punch: overharvest
Overharvest of lake and pallid sturgeon during the late 1800's marked the beginning of lake and pallid sturgeons’ decline. At that time, lake sturgeon were so common that they were indiscriminately killed to prevent damage to fishing nets. Rendering plants processed them for fertilizer, and their oily flesh was even burned and used for fuel for steamboats. However, it wasn't long before people developed a taste for their flesh and eggs. By the mid 1900's, both species were considered rare and they have continued to decline since then.
The shovelnose sturgeon, unlike its larger cousins, managed to escape serious exploitation until just recently. In the past decade, the Caspian Sea sturgeon fishery, which used to supply 90 percent of the world's caviar, has collapsed, spurring demand for substitutes to replace pricey Russian "beluga" caviar. North American sturgeon roe brings $30 to $70 a pound. Caviar made from Missouri shovelnose sturgeon roe commands a price of $275 to $300 per 14-ounce tin.
As a result, we have seen a dramatic increase in harvest of shovelnose sturgeon and a dramatic decrease in abundance, especially in the Mississippi River. From 1998 to 2001, the pounds of shovelnose sturgeon harvested on the Mississippi River by commercial fishermen increased over 1000 percent. Commercial fishing for shovelnose on the Missouri River has also increased but at a slower rate than on the Mississippi River. Biologists are now very concerned about our shovelnose sturgeon population as a result of this dramatic increase in exploitation.
Helping sturgeon recover
During the early 1990's, the Missouri Department of Conservation developed "action plans" for lake and pallid sturgeon to aid in their recovery. Goals of the plans are to reestablish self-sustaining populations so they can be delisted as endangered species and ultimately provide limited sport fisheries. These plans stress the restoration of both species through habitat improvement, artificial propagation, protection, research, management, and education. Over the last several years, the Department has been very active in implementing all aspects of these plans.
Habitat restoration
Habitat restoration and improvement is one of the most important keys to the recovery of our endangered sturgeon. Department staff continue to work with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve habitat in our big rivers. Through the use of funds provided by the federal government, projects are being designed and installed which will increase the diversity of habitat for our endangered sturgeon. We are also working with the Corps of Engineers and many other state and federal agencies to better regulate flows on the Missouri River for the benefit of several threatened and endangered species. However, unless there is more of a change in river management these efforts will only have limited success. We believe a more balanced approach to river management can be found that will benefit all interests and still provide for more abundant fish and wildlife.
Artificial Propagation
Another important key to restoration is the artificial propagation of pallid and lake sturgeon. Since 1984, MDC's Blind Pony Fish Hatchery, a national leader in native sturgeon culture, has raised and stocked over 13,000 fingerling pallid sturgeon and 200,000 fingerling lake sturgeon into the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. However, we can't depend on propagation alone for the recovery of these species. Rearing these fish in captivity is extremely difficult because of a variety of problems including difficulty acquiring brood stock, disease, and adequate funding. Even though the stocking program has helped, population densities for these two species still remain low. There is still a long way to go before the lake and pallid sturgeon populations get to the point where they are self-sustaining. Even though habitat restoration is the most important key to developing self-sustaining sturgeon populations, artificial propagation is still a high priority and the Department will continue the program until these species are restored.
Long-term monitoring
The Missouri Department of Conservation has also recently started a long term, statewide sturgeon monitoring project to track population trends for all Missouri's species. Since the mid 1990's, fisheries biologists across the state have been sampling and gathering information on sturgeon from both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. As a part of this project, biologists are tagging all sturgeon to collect more information on population size, growth, movement, and harvest. Anglers catching a tagged lake, pallid or shovelnose sturgeon are asked to report the following information: species caught, date caught, where caught (river mile/nearest town), tag number, fork length, and weight. This information will help us achieve our goal of improving our sturgeon populations.
To report a tagged sturgeon call toll free 1-866-762-3338. For more information on sturgeon identification, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation, Resource Science Center, 1110 S. College Ave., Columbia, MO, 65201, 573-882-9880 or Central Region Office, 1907 Hillcrest Dr., Columbia, MO, 65201, 573-884-6861.
Cooperating to secure our sturgeons' future
It's hard to believe that these fish that have thrived for 150 million years have been brought to the brink of extinction in just the last century. We need to take a step back and learn from our past mistakes if we hope to have any chance of restoring our lake and pallid sturgeon populations.
Recovery will be difficult and require a concentrated effort to solve the many problems affecting our sturgeon populations. Restoring habitat and balancing the management of our big rivers is an important first step in the right direction. To do this, will require a cooperative effort from everyone. All big river stakeholders including the public, conservation/environmental groups, Indian tribes, politicians/government officials, agriculture, barge industry, recreational interests, state and federal agencies, and others must work together to find and implement solutions for the sturgeons' recovery. State and federal agencies must also continue to work together on protection, research and management of sturgeon. If we can, Missouri's aquatic dinosaurs will win their fight for survival.
