The first book of its kind to explore this magnificent creature, this collected volume captures many aspects of the remarkable Great Lakes sturgeon, from the mythical to the critically real. Lake sturgeon are sacred to some, impressive to many, and endangered in the Great Lakes. A fish whose ancestry reaches back millions of years and that can live over a century and grow to six feet or more, the Great Lakes lake sturgeon was once considered useless, then overfished nearly to extinction. Though the fish is slowly making a comeback thanks to the awareness-raising efforts of Native Americans, biologists, and sturgeon supporters, it remains to be seen if conservation and stewardship will continue to the degree this remarkable animal deserves. Blending history, biology, folklore, environmental science, and policy, this accessible book seeks to reach a broad audience and tell the story of the Great Lakes lake sturgeon in a manner as diverse as its subject.
ContentsPrefacesSturgeon: The Great Lakes Buffalo | Dave DempseyForm and Function in Lake Sturgeon | Nancy AuerN’me | Jimmie MitchellThe Lake Sturgeon as Survivor and Integrative Indicator of Changes in Stressed Aquatic Systems in the Laurentian Basin | Henry A. Regier, Robert M. Hughes, and John E. GannonHabitat, Foods, and Feeding | Edward A. Baker and Nancy AuerRecognizing the Genetic Population Structure of Lake Sturgeon Stocks | Amy WelshRestoration and Renewal: A Sturgeon Tale | Lauri Kay ElbingThe St. Lawrence River Lake Sturgeon: Management in Quebec, 1940s–2000s | Pierre Dumont and Yves MailhotBringing Us Back to the River | Marty HoltgrenSturgeon for Tomorrow | Brenda ArchamboThe Relationship between Lake Sturgeon Life History and Potential Sensitivity to Sea Lamprey Predation | Holly Muir and Trent M. SuttonFuture Management and Stewardship of Lake Sturgeon | Nancy AuerAbout the Authors