North American and Society THE LIVING FOSSIL Volume 2 ISSUE 2 | SEPTEMBER 2015 IN THIS ISSUE

Society updates MEETING DETAILS

Student travel awards AWARD WINNERS

In the news FISHING, RESEARCH, AND REGULATIONS

Scaphirhynchus spotlight SHOVELNOSE STURGEON

70+ years of managing a successful Lake Sturgeon fishery

WINNEBAGO SYSTEM OSHKOSH 2015! LAKE STURGEON

72 PRESENTATIONS Feature Article: Highlighting sturgeon and 19 POSTERS paddlefish recovery teams 3 WORKSHOPS SOUNDS SHED LIGHT ON 4 FORUM DISCUSSIONS GULF STURGEON SOCIALS, BANQUET & MORE! AND THEIR HABITATS NASPS MISSION STATEMENT

The North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society (NASPS) was founded in 2012 at the Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society in St. Paul, MN, and is the North American affiliate of the World Sturgeon Conservation Society. Seeking to address current declines in sturgeon and paddlefish populations across North America, NASPS is dedicated to promoting the conservation and restoration of these species by developing and advancing research pertaining to their biology, management, and utilization. Distributing scientific, cultural, and historical information related to sturgeon and paddlefish in North America and encouraging the inclusion of sturgeon and paddlefish fisheries science in college and continuing education curricula is critical to achieving these objectives. As such, NASPS recognizes the importance of engaging NASPS members, local, national, and international government organizations, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the general public through publications, professional meetings, and community events.

Volume 2 Issue 2 1 THE LIVING FOSSIL VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 | SEPTEMBER 2015

Table of Contents

Letter from the President ...... 3 Society Updates ...... 4 NASPS Annual Meeting ...... 4 NASPS Meeting Schedule at a Glance ...... 8 Species Spotlight ...... 9 Sturgeon and Paddlefish in the News ...... 11 Feature Article ...... 12 Sounds Sheds Light on Gulf Sturgeon and their Habitats: an Evolving Approach to Sturgeon Recovery Utilizing Low-Cost Side Scan Sonar ... 12 Heterocercal Tales ...... 19 2015 Winnebago Lake Sturgeon Update ...... 20 Publication Updates ...... 23

On the Cover: A juvenile White Sturgeon being released into the Columbia River. Photo Credit: Chad Fritz, Cranbrook, BC, Canada.

Volume 2 Issue 2 2 Letter from the President

Dear NASPS Members,

We are busy preparing for an excellent 2015 annual meeting in Oshkosh, WI on October 19-22, 2015. We have workshops that will be held on Monday the 19th followed by 2½ days of presentations. We have 72 oral presentations that will be given in concurrent sessions each day and 14 posters presented at the Poster Social on Wednesday. We are excited to have four forum discussions throughout the meeting focusing on the Application of Telemetry for and Paddlefish Conservation and Management, the Bottlenecks to Sturgeons and Paddlefish Recovery, Fish Passage, and Conservation Genetics for Sturgeons and Paddlefish. As well, we will have several social events starting on Monday with the Welcome Social and ending with our banquet and raffle on Wednesday evening.

We are pleased to announce the winners of our two travel awards: Emily Miller, Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Peter Klimley's Biotelemetry Lab in the Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis, and Alex DiJohnson, a M.S. Candidate in Dr. Dewayne Fox's lab in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Delaware State University. The awards will be presented at the banquet on Wednesday evening.

More information about the meeting can be found in this newsletter and on our website at http://www.nasps-sturgeon.org/conferences/north-american-conference- announcements.aspx. Don’t forget the registration deadline is October 2.

On behalf of the NASPS Executive Committee, we look forward to seeing you in Oshkosh.

Sincerely,

Molly A.H. Webb, Ph.D. President

Volume 2 Issue 2 3 Society Updates

NASPS Annual Meeting

Important Registration Dates: Don’t miss out! With summer winding down, now is the time to start planning for your attendance at the 19-22 October 2015 NASPS annual meeting in Oshkosh WI. Here are the important dates:

 To allow workshop organizers sufficient time to prepare presentation materials, the registration deadline for the workshops is September 14.  The registration deadline for the meeting has been extended to October 2.  The last day to request refunds for either the meeting registration or the workshops is October 12.

Accommodations - Book your room ASAP! The Best Western Premier, adjacent to the convention center, will serve as the host hotel and is offering a room block under the name of NASPS.

 Hotel: http://www.oshkoshwaterfronthotel.com/hotel_rooms_suites.phtml  Convention Center: http://www.oshkoshwaterfronthotel.com/oshkosh_meetings_events.phtml

Registration Packet Pickup: Pick up your registration packet up starting at 3 PM outside of the Oshkosh Convention Center Conference Rooms (Paul L and BF Carter Rooms).

Workshops: The meeting will offer three workshops on Monday October 19th (Workshop 1: Using Genetics to Improve Sturgeon and Paddlefish Management and Conservation, Workshop 2: Sturgeon and Paddlefish Age Estimation and Tagging Workshop, Workshop 3: Techniques to Determine Sex and Stage of Maturity in Sturgeons and Paddlefish). The last day to register for workshops is September 14th.

Meeting Socials: A welcome social will be held on Monday October 19th from 6-9 PM, a student-mentor social will be held on Tuesday October 20th from 5:30-7:00 PM, and the poster session (6-7 PM) will precede a banquet and raffle on Wednesday October 22nd from 7-10 PM.

Volume 2 Issue 2 4 Student-Mentor Social: The Student-Mentor Social will be held on Tuesday October 20th from 5:30-7:00 PM. It will be a great time to discuss research projects with the NASPS students. Appetizers will be provided. Please email David Deslauriers ([email protected]) if you would like to participate and include your name, if you are a Student or Mentor, agency/institution, and your area of professional interest.

Student Travel Award: Student Travel Awards for the NASPS 2015 Annual Meeting have been awarded to one Masters student and one Ph.D. student. The winners are:

 MS: Alex DiJohnson, Delaware State Univ  Ph.D.: Emily Miller, UC Davis

Emily Miller is a Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Peter Klimley's Biotelemetry Lab in the Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis. Her dissertation examines spatio-temporal distributions and niche partitioning among Green and White Sturgeon in the San Francisco Bay, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and Sacramento River. Emily will be presenting a talk entitled “Green and White Sturgeon migratory movements in the San Francisco Bay, Delta, and Sacramento River, California” at the NASPS annual meeting in Oshkosh WI.

Alex DiJohnson is a M.S. Candidate in Dr. Dewayne Fox's lab in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Delaware State University. His thesis examines fine-scale behavior and habitat use of relative to the presence of commercial shipping in the Delaware River. Alex will be presenting a talk entitled “Behavioral response of adult Atlantic Sturgeon ( oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) to commercial shipping in the Delaware River” at the NASPS annual meeting in Oshkosh WI.

Slideshow at Annual Meeting: We will have a slideshow of photos running during the Banquet Wednesday night. Please share your photos of sturgeon and paddlefish, and we will include them in the slideshow. Send them to info@nasps- sturgeon.com

Donation for Funding Raising Raffle: We are still requesting donations for our funding raising raffle at our annual meeting. The proceeds from the raffle will be used to fund a student travel award to our annual meeting and continuation of the NASPS newsletter. With your donation, please include your name and/or business card so that we may properly acknowledge your generosity. Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Should you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Cam Barth (Canada; 204-794-6521) or Zach Snobl (USA; 715-829-0979).

Volume 2 Issue 2 5 Additional information pertaining to the annual meeting can be found on our website: http://www.nasps-sturgeon.org/conferences/north-american-conference- announcements.aspx. Stay tuned for information about loading your talks for the meeting

Other Society News

NASPS Annual Meeting Rotation: Member Survey: Recently, a survey was circulated to all members to help the NASPS Governing Board set a schedule for annual meetings over the next several years. In particular, NASPS is trying to determine how often we should hold NASPS standalone meetings. NASPS requests that members complete the survey by September 18th to help us make an informed decision that will best serve the interests of our members. The survey can be accessed at: http://goo.gl/forms/0TrukhJ4eH

NASPS Member Publications: We continue to spotlight sturgeon and paddlefish publications written by our NASPS members. Please send your recent publications to James Crossman ([email protected]) for inclusion in our next NASPS newsletter. Please include the full citation, the abstract, and any applicable information.

For NASPS Announcements: If you have a photo, job announcement, or any other society related information for our webpage, please send them to info@nasps- sturgeon.org. To post announcements or news about sturgeon and paddlefish on our Facebook page, please contact Zach Snobl at [email protected]. To tweet sturgeon and paddlefish news, please contact Emily Miller at [email protected].

Join WSCS: You can join the World Sturgeon Conservation Society (WSCS), our parent society, at http://www.wscs.info/about/join-us.aspx. Joining the WSCS allows you a reduction in WSCS membership fees, the ability to purchase WSCS publications in bulk (> 10) at the membership discount, and WSCS membership registration rates for the International Symposium on Sturgeon meetings. Also, similar to NASPS, you have the ability to create a professional profile on the WSCS’s website and conduct queries to seek specific international expertise on a wide range of sturgeon related questions. Join today!

Volume 2 Issue 2 6 NASPS Governing Board

Executive Committee Members At Large President: Molly Webb Peter Allen (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) (Mississippi State University) Past President: Ron Bruch Nancy Auer (Retired Wisconsin DNR) (Michigan Technological University) Vice President: James Crossman Stephania Bolden (BC Hydro) (NOAA Fisheries) Treasurer: Andrea Schreier Dewayne Fox (University of California, Davis) (Delaware State University) Secretary: Larry Hildebrand Ryan Koenigs (Golder Associates) (Wisconsin DNR) Mike Parsley (Retired USGS)

Volume 2 Issue 2 7 NASPS Meeting Schedule at a Glance

Monday October 19, 2015 10:00-16:00 WORKSHOP: Tools to Determine Sex, Stage, and Maturity (Offsite) WORKSHOP: Populations Genetics Workshop (Oshkosh Convention Center) 13:00-17:00 WORKSHOP: Age Estimation and Tagging Workshop (Offsite) 15:00-18:00 Packet Pickup - Oshkosh Convention Center 18:00-21:00 Welcome Social Tuesday October 20, 2015 7:00-8:00 Breakfast (provided at venue) 8:00-8:30 Welcome address and meeting announcements 8:30-9:50 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 9:50-10:20 SOCIAL BREAK 10:20-12:00 Symposium (5-20 minute talks) 12:00-13:20 LUNCH 13:20-15:00 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 15:00-15:30 SOCIAL BREAK 15:30-16:10 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 16:10-17:10 Forum Discussions: Applications of Telemetry and Bottlenecks to Recovery 17:30-19:00 Student Mentor Social Wednesday October 21, 2015 7:00-8:00 Breakfast (provided at venue) 8:00-8:10 Meeting announcements and updates 8:10-9:50 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 9:50-10:20 SOCIAL BREAK 10:20-11:00 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 11:00-12:00 Forum Discussions: Fish Passage and Genetics 12:00-13:20 LUNCH 13:20-14:40 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 14:40-15:10 SOCIAL BREAK 15:10-16:30 NASPS Listening Session 17:30-18:30 Poster Social/Raffle 18:30-22:00 Banquet Thursday October 22, 2015 7:00-8:00 Breakfast (provided at venue) 8:00-8:10 Meeting announcements and updates 8:10-9:50 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 9:50-10:20 SOCIAL BREAK 10:20-11:40 Symposium: Concurrent Sessions 11:40-13:00 LUNCH 13:00 Closing remarks/close meeting

Volume 2 Issue 2 8 Species Spotlight

Photo Credit: Josh Johnston

Shovelnose Sturgeon

Shannon Brewer U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Oklahoma State University;

and

Josh Johnston Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Jenks, Oklahoma

Shovelnose Sturgeon platorynchus is the smallest (rarely > 5 lbs) and most abundant sturgeon in North America. Shovelnose Sturgeon is native to the large rivers of the Mississippi and Missouri river basins. The species is thought to have persisted in the region for nearly 100 million years. Although Shovelnose Sturgeon populations in the Mississippi and Missouri rivers appear stable, the large tributaries that feed these systems are highly fragmented by dams. For example, the Arkansas River is one of the largest tributaries to the Mississippi River, and historical accounts confirm Shovelnose Sturgeon occurred upstream to Wichita, Kansas but they are unlikely to be observed there today. The species is also considered extirpated from several other locations where it was once abundant (Pennsylvania, New Mexico, portions of Kentucky and Tennessee). Shovelnose Sturgeon typically occupies main- channel habitats with strong current but commonly uses obstructions (artificial or otherwise, e.g., wing dikes) during high flows. Fragmentation is suspected to block migrations to spawning grounds and has even resulted in hybridization between some sturgeon species (e.g., shovelnose and pallid sturgeon) due to limited spawning habitat.

Volume 2 Issue 2 9 Further, dams create other problems for sturgeon including alteration of hydrologic, temperature and sediment regimes, altered food supplies, and loss of moving-water habitat. The species spawns approximately April through July and individuals do not mature until they are 5-7 years of age and then may not spawn every year thereafter.

Most of the recovery actions have focused on other sturgeon species. Recovery actions for interior, freshwater species has been difficult as removal of large dams is not feasible and developing passage for relatively large, benthic fishes is difficult. However, propagation strategies for several sturgeon species (e.g., Pallid Sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus) have been developed as a means of maintaining stocks of these unique fishes. Further, in regions where Pallid Sturgeon (a federally-listed species) persists, the Shovelnose Sturgeon has also been listed as federally threatened (2010) because of the difficulty in distinguishing between the two species (similarity Photo Credit: Josh Johnston of appearance provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973). The actions that target protection of the Pallid Sturgeon have inevitably provided some benefit to Shovelnose Sturgeon. Lastly, some habitat enhancement efforts on select large rivers (e.g., lower Missouri River) have been completed in hopes of improving habitat for Pallid Sturgeon but the benefits to these populations are currently unclear.

Volume 2 Issue 2 10 Sturgeon and Paddlefish in the News

White Sturgeon

A 9 year old boy captured the attention of North American news outlets when video surfaced of him reeling in an ~600 pound adult White Sturgeon from the Fraser River. http://abcnews.go.com/International/year-boy-reels-600-pound-sturgeon- video-prove/story?id=32205376

A high number of White Sturgeon mortalities were found on the Columbia River this July, prompting sturgeon angling closures during an abnormally warm summer. The angling moratorium has now been lifted. Details can be found in the links below: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/dozens-of-sturgeon-found-dead-in-columbia-river/ and http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20150901/moratorium-lifted-on-columbia- river-sturgeon-fishing

A story discussing monitoring that is ongoing in the lower Columbia River to describe the reproductive ecology of White Sturgeon. http://www.chinookobserver.com/co/sports-fishing/20150828/sturgeon-survive- fishhooks-to-start-spawning-around-age-18

Pallid Sturgeon

An article discussing the implications of a new concrete dam on Pallid Sturgeon in the upper Missouri River basin. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/03/opinion/an- ancient-fish-is-running-out-of-time.html?_r=0

Lake Sturgeon

A new regulation for Lake Sturgeon anglers on a portion of the Menominee River, a Wisconsin-Michigan boundary water, where upstream translocation of fish has occurred: http://www.postcrescent.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/2015/09/02/sturgeon- hook-and-line-season-set-open/71607058/

Gulf Sturgeon

Tracking injuries as a result of jumping Gulf Sturgeon on the Suwannee River, . http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2015/08/24/jumping-sturgeon-boating- suwannee-river-florida/32307151/

Volume 2 Issue 2 11 Feature Article

In the 2015 newsletter series, NASPS is highlighting groups that undertake sturgeon and paddlefish recovery planning in North America. NASPS feels it is important to highlight these groups given the significant amount of effort and dedication that occurs, often behind the scenes of more pertinent research results which appear in the primary literature. For this issue, we are highlighting Gulf Sturgeon!

Photo credit: Patricia Tierney

Sounds Sheds Light on Gulf Sturgeon and their Habitats: an Evolving Approach to Sturgeon Recovery Utilizing Low-Cost Side Scan Sonar

Adam J. Kaeser, Gulf Sturgeon Recovery Lead U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Panama City Field Office, Panama City, Florida [email protected]

and

Jason Rueter, Gulf Sturgeon Recovery Lead National Marine Fisheries Service St. Petersburg, Florida [email protected]

Volume 2 Issue 2 12 The Gulf Sturgeon ( desotoi) is a reclusive fish that roams the rivers, estuaries, and coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico. If not for its aerial acrobatics, most often witnessed in summer when sturgeon congregate in rivers, few would ever have a chance to lay eyes on this magnificent and otherwise docile creature. In Coastal Plain rivers, high turbidity or dissolved organic compounds (i.e., blackwater) preclude direct observation of sturgeon, but a new approach to visualizing these and their habitats is emerging with side scan sonar, a technology that uses sound, rather than light, to peer through the murky water. Side scan sonar uses high frequency sound waves (455+ KHz) to produce detailed, 2-dimensional images of the underwater environment. These images are based on the reflection of sound waves from underwater surfaces, such as the coarse, rocky substrates sturgeon seek during spawning (Figure 1). Covered in bony, sound-reflecting plates, the large-bodied (> 100 cm total length) Gulf Sturgeon may run and jump, but cannot hide from side scan sonar (Figures 2-4). These capabilities are shared by a variety of low-cost (< $3000) side scan systems that are now available to fisheries professionals, providing the necessary ingredients for the development of new techniques to study and monitor large sturgeons and their habitats.

For three decades, populations of the federally endangered Gulf Sturgeon have been monitored by gill net fishing during Figure 1. A sonar image of the coarse- summer and early fall when entire populations textured, limestone shoal (right side of are river bound. Traditional mark-recapture image) where deposition of Gulf sturgeon techniques are commonly used to estimate eggs has been documented during the abundance, but metrics such as catch-per- unit-effort have been abandoned as reliable spring spawning season. To the upper left recovery criteria due to variation associated of the image the substrate is with factors such as gear types, predominantly coarse sand, a substrate environmental conditions affecting fish that sturgeon do not select for spawning. distribution and density, and crew experience. Catching and marking sturgeon requires a significant investment of time and money. For example, a recent (2010-2011) population assessment conducted on the Yellow River in Florida required fishing during 2 consecutive summer and fall outmigration periods, a total of ~60 crew days in the field, to render a final estimate of 1,036 fish with a +/- 30% margin of error (alpha= 0.05). As precision of the estimate ultimately depends on the proportion of fish marked relative to the total population, an even greater investment of resources is required to assess larger populations, or populations whose numbers rebound over time. Beyond sturgeon abundance, few Gulf Coast rivers have been surveyed to characterize the extent and distribution of spawning habitat, and we’ve yet to elucidate factors associated with the use and selection of preferred resting habitat. Faced with such realities, these authors are turning to alternative approaches,

Volume 2 Issue 2 13 several of which involve a prominent role for sonar technology. Fortunately, a path forward has been blazed by pioneers in side scan sonar.

Figure 2. Imagery from 2 parallel sonar survey passes within a unique, off-channel slough of the Blackwater River called Cooper’s Basin that is typically occupied by Gulf sturgeon during the summer. This imagery was captured on March 6, 2013, prior to the freshwater entry of sturgeon as confirmed by passive telemetry. Note the relatively featureless, sandy-mud bottom of the slough.

Figure 3. Imagery from a single sonar pass down the middle of Cooper’s Basin. Each tiny white target and its sonar shadow represents a Gulf sturgeon. This imagery was captured June 18, 2013 after sturgeon had entered the Blackwater River. A total of 349 fish were counted in this image.

Working in rivers of southern Georgia, Adam Kaeser and Thom Litts (Georgia Department of Natural Resources) developed and began teaching a methodology for producing full-channel, high resolution maps of underwater habitat features using the

Volume 2 Issue 2 14 Humminbird® Side Imaging system (Kaeser and Litts 2008, 2010; Kaeser et al. 2012), the first low-cost side scan sonar system to appear in the marketplace. This methodology was used to map nearly 1000 river kilometers across 4 rivers in Georgia, to establish the baseline distribution and extent of potential Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon spawning habitat. Jared Flowers and Joseph Hightower at North Carolina State University demonstrated that the abundance of Atlantic Sturgeon could be estimated using occupancy modeling and detection data provided by an Edgetech 4125-P side scan system (~$30,000) (Flowers and Hightower 2013, 2015). In a joint effort, these researchers convened with Choctawhatchee River experts Dewayne Fox and Naeem Willett (Delaware State University) to compare the performance of the two side scan systems for detecting Gulf sturgeon in this Florida Panhandle river. Operating both systems aboard a single vessel provided image data sets that were independently analyzed to generate counts of sturgeon that were nearly identical, paving the way for the utilization of low-cost side scan sonar for Gulf sturgeon detection.

Rather than execute multiple passes on consecutive days to provide the data required for occupancy modeling, Kaeser and colleagues at the Panama City Field Office (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have been working to develop a simplified, single-pass approach to index the relative abundance of Gulf Sturgeon, based on counts of fish appearing in Figure 4. Gulf sturgeon appear as white, zeppelin-like targets in Humminbird® sonar Humminbird® imagery, but at times the shadow they cast is imagery. The use of unmistakable (see shadows in image center). At this scale (1:150- indices for monitoring 1:250) we counted sturgeon greater than 90 cm fork length, placing points on each individual and measuring targets to avoid biological trends is counting smaller fish. This is the same imagery as appearing in commonplace, with Figure 2. examples ranging from point counts of birds to harvest records for mammals, however indices frequently rely on several untested assumptions. With the ultimate goal in mind of generating index counts annually in each of the 8-9 rivers occupied by Gulf Sturgeon, thereby providing a critical supporting metric to evaluate long-term recovery of the species, fully validating the sturgeon index was deemed a high research priority. To do so, an investigation was launched that involves assessing a suite of desired qualities or

Volume 2 Issue 2 15 attributes (Table 1). For example, although sturgeon counts need not be accurate, high sampling precision (i.e., low sampling variance) and high reader precision (i.e., repeatability) of the index count are important attributes, as is an understanding of the functional relationship between the index values and true abundance.

Table 1. Desired attributes of a fully functional and reliable sonar-based index:

1. High Reader Precision- sturgeon counts are repeatable on a given image data set 2. Low Sampling Variance- counts on repeat-pass image sets are similar; within same day and same season (i.e., high sampling precision) 3. Misclassification Rate Low- we are indeed counting sturgeon, not other species of fish or false targets 4. Functional Relationship Revealed- we can describe the functional relationship between counts and true abundance; linear relationship hypothesized 5. Spatial and Temporal Sampling Frame Defined- a reference reach that typically harbors a large proportion of the population identified on each river is identified, temporal sampling frame is defined 6. Inherent Flexibility- the index approach can track changes in population distribution that may occur with changes in abundance 7. Savings of Time and Money- use of the index approach considerably saves valuable resources 8. Future Transferability Assured- methodology can be adopted and practiced by others in a reliable, repeatable manner

Although beyond the scope of this article to discuss all of the attributes under investigation, preliminary results show great promise towards fully validating the sonar- based index approach. Regarding our assessment of attribute 4- evaluating the functional relationship between counts and true abundance- we seized an opportunity provided by the hundreds of adult sturgeon tagged with sonic transmitters during the BP Oil Spill Natural Resources Damage Assessment and a telemetry study funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Using separate survey vessels, one scanning for fish with sonar and the other trailing shortly behind to detect fish carrying sonic tags, we have been able to pair sonar counts with counts of tagged fish within discrete reaches of 6 rivers, over a period of three consecutive years. Under the basic assumption that sonic tagged fish have homogenously mixed back into a population, thereby serving as an indicator of the true number of fish present, we have repeatedly found strong linear correlations between sonar counts and the number of tagged fish, as hypothesized. Correlations were exceptionally high for our case study rivers where strategically located, fixed-position Vemco® receivers were used to validate and correct the sonic tag detection record in areas containing high numbers of sonic tagged fish (Figure 5). These results suggest that counts of sturgeon could be relied upon to indicate trends in the abundance of sturgeon over time.

Sonar imagery can be collected at a rate of ~8 km/hr, enabling the survey of target reaches as long as 50 km in a day. A full day of sonar data collection requires about

Volume 2 Issue 2 16 one full day for image processing and the enumeration of suspected sturgeon. Thus, a single biologist can accomplish in 2 days what took weeks-to-months for a crew to accomplish using traditional mark-recapture methods. Although the merits of the sonar index approach are self-evident, and include eliminating the stress associated with capture and handling of fish, nothing beats catching a sturgeon now and again. We intend to employ the sonar approach in concert with traditional approaches, thereby reducing the frequency of mark-recapture population assessments, and prioritizing the river populations that will undergo assessments in the future. The resources we expect to save by implementing this approach will be redirected towards high priority research and recovery goals, such as investigations of early life stages (egg-Age 1) and restoration efforts, as priorities dictate.

Figure 5. The functional relationship between sonar counts of sturgeon appearing within discrete areas of the Blackwater River, and the number of sonic tagged fish simultaneously occurring in the same areas. Surveys were conducted during summer 2013.

In the meantime, low-cost sonar habitat mapping is being used to characterize habitats in rivers like the Pearl (Mississippi), where large scale restoration efforts are highly anticipated. The importance of acquiring contemporary information on habitat quality and quantity cannot be overstated with respect to monitoring changes that might occur over the time frame of sturgeon recovery (i.e., decades). The utility of comprehensive (i.e., full channel) habitat data across broad riverscapes, however, extends beyond sturgeon research; therefore, efforts to acquire and produce this information may find support across multiple stakeholders.

We have found low-cost side scan sonar to be a highly versatile tool, and believe the technology might be useful wherever sturgeon roam. If you have the opportunity, take a close look at what side scan sonar can reveal to you. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Volume 2 Issue 2 17 References

Flowers, H. J., and J. E. Hightower. 2013. A novel approach to surveying sturgeon using side- scan sonar and occupancy modeling. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 5: 211-223. DOI: 10.1080/19425120.2013.816396.

Flowers, H. J., and J. E. Hightower. 2015. Estimating sturgeon abundance in the Carolinas using side-scan sonar. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 7: 1-9. DOI: 10.1080/19425120.2014.982334.

Kaeser, A. J., and T. L. Litts. 2008. An assessment of deadhead logs and large woody debris using side scan sonar and field surveys in streams of Southwest Georgia. Fisheries 33: 589-597.

Kaeser, A. J., and T. L. Litts. 2010. A novel technique for mapping habitat in navigable streams using low-cost side scan sonar. Fisheries 35: 163-174.

Kaeser, A. J., T. L. Litts, and T. W. Tracy. 2012. Using low-cost side scan sonar from benthic mapping throughout the lower Flint River, Georgia, USA. River Research and Applications 10.1002/rra.

Volume 2 Issue 2 18 Heterocercal Tales

This sturgeon picture was printed on a postcard that was originally mailed in 1909. It is of a 56.7 kg (125 lb) Lake Sturgeon caught near Warroad, Minnesota. Published by L.W. Snow, Columbus Nebraska. This Heterocercal Tale was provided by Tim Haxton.

Call for Heterocercal Tales:

If you or someone you know has an interesting sturgeon or paddlefish tale, old or new, please send them to James Crossman ([email protected]). While many of the heterocercal tales to date have covered older stories, we encourage all NASPS members to share their interesting photos and stories from the systems in which they work. Always remember, what may seem routine to you could be very interesting for those working on sturgeon or paddlefish elsewhere in North America. Requirements for submitting a heterocercal tale are simple, you must submit a brief account of the story (1 page max is ideal) and a photo that includes a sturgeon or paddlefish. Please note, NASPS will need permission to reproduce photos so please only submit photos with the consent of the photographer that captured it.

Volume 2 Issue 2 19 2015 Winnebago Lake Sturgeon Update

Ryan Koenigs Winnebago System Sturgeon Biologist – Wisconsin DNR

The Lake Winnebago System located in eastern Wisconsin is home to one of the most actively managed Lake Sturgeon stocks in North America. The robust population of 19,000 adult females and 25,000 adult males supports an annual winter spear fishery that engages more than 12,000 license holders and an average harvest of 1,400 fish. Data collected during harvest assessments and adult spawning stock assessments are the lifeblood of the management program. Water clarity and ice conditions are the primary predictors of spearing success and the 2015 season presented spearers with favorable conditions. The sturgeon stock did not disappoint and the season lived up the hype lasting just 5 days on the Upriver Lakes and 8 days on Lake Winnebago with a total harvest of 2,158 fish (1,870 from Lake Winnebago and 288 from the Upriver Pool Lakes). The 1,870 fish harvested from

Volume 2 Issue 2 20 Lake Winnebago ranks as the 6th highest Lake Winnebago harvest since data collection began in 1941. The increasing prevalence of large, “trophy” sized sturgeon has been the story line emerging from sturgeon spearing seasons dating back to the mid-2000s (Figure 1). Seasons prior to that era consisted of 1-2% of the total harvest being fish 100 pounds or larger. However, 6.0% of the fish harvested during the 2010-2014 seasons exceeded that threshold. This stark change has been attributed to many factors, but none more influential than the increased protection (sturgeon guard program and stringent harvest regulations) and beneficial impact of strong gizzard shad hatches on fish condition. The 2015 season showed a divergent trend with only 2.0% of the fish harvested tipping the scales at 100 pounds or larger. This change resulted from poor gizzard shad hatches in recent years and a diminishing forage base. There were still some large fish harvested during the 2015 season, with the largest being an 81.3” 137.5 pound female harvested from Lake Winnebago. Hopefully the system will experience a large shad hatch in the next few years and sturgeon condition will rebound for the coming seasons.

Figure 1. The percentage of individuals >100 lbs harvested in the Lake Winnebago spear fishery, 1955-2015.

Lake Sturgeon spawn on outside, rocked river bends in the major tributaries of the Winnebago System, which allows fisheries managers ample opportunity to dip net fish for data collection and marking. The 2015 spawning run lasted just 5 days, but 1,519 were handled despite the shorter than average duration. Spawning fish were handled on 5 spawning tributaries (Wolf, Embarrass, Little Wolf, Pigeon and upper Fox

Volume 2 Issue 2 21 Rivers) for the first time in history. In addition to standard data collection and marking, 16 fish were implanted with 10 year Vemco sonic transmitters to monitor movement and evaluate spawning river and site fidelity. The largest fish handled in 2015 was 77.6” TL and estimated to weigh 170-180 pounds pre-spawn. The Lake Winnebago System supports one of the largest naturally reproducing populations of Lake Sturgeon in the world. That status brings a great deal of interest from the general public, but also from fisheries professionals around the globe. Completing the annual harvest and adult spawning stock assessments requires a high degree of coordination among DNR staff and relies heavily on the help from local volunteers, particularly the sturgeon guard program. Please contact Ryan Koenigs ([email protected]) if you are interested in becoming engaged in management of the Lake Sturgeon stock on the Winnebago System.

Volume 2 Issue 2 22 Publication Updates

The following are a few recent sturgeon and paddlefish publications, highlighting NASPS members (Bold). Have your next sturgeon or paddlefish paper highlighted in the NASPS newsletter and on the NASPS website by sending your publication details to James Crossman ([email protected]).

Bauman, J.M., E.A. Baker, T.L. Marsh, and K.T. Scribner. Effects of Rearing Density on Total Length and Survival of Lake Sturgeon Free Embryos. North American Journal of Aquaculture 77: 444-448.

Braaten, P.J., S.E. Campana, D.B. Fuller, R.D. Lott, R.M. Bruch, and G.R. Jordan. 2015. Age estimations of wild pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus, Forbes & Richardson 1905) based on pectoral fin spines, otoliths and bomb radiocarbon: inferences on recruitment in the dam-fragmented Missouri River. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 31: 821–829.

Dammerman, K.J., J.P. Steibel, and K.T. Scribner. 2015. Genetic and environmental components of phenotypic and behavioral trait variation during lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) early ontogeny. Environmental Biology of Fishes 98: 1659-1670.

Hare, A.J., A. Waheed, J.F. Hare, and W.G. Anderson. 2015. Cortisol and catecholamine responses to social context and a chemical alarm signal in juvenile lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens. Canadian Journal of Zoology 93: 605-613.

Jacobson, R.B., M.J. Parsley, M.L. Annis, M.E. Colvin, T.L. Welker, and D.A. James. 2014. Development of conceptual ecological models linking management of the Missouri River to pallid sturgeon population dynamics: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015–1038, 47 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151038.

Marranca, J.M., A.B Welsh, and E. Roseman. 2015. Genetic effects of habitat restoration in the Laurentian Great Lakes: an assessment of lake sturgeon origin and genetic diversity. Restoration Ecology 23: 455–464.

Volume 2 Issue 2 23 Seesholtz, A.M., M.J. Manuel, J.P. Van Eenennaam. 2015. First documented spawning and associated habitat conditions for green sturgeon in the Feather River, California. Environmental Biology of Fishes 98: 905-912.

Snobl, Z.R., R.P. Koenigs, R.M. Bruch, F.P. Binkowski. Do Tags Exceeding 2% of Total Body Weight Impair Lake Sturgeon Movement? North American Journal of Fisheries Management 35: 880-884.

Stewart, N.D., M.J. Dadswell, P. Leblanc, R.G. Bradford, C. Ceapa, M.J.W. Stokesbury. 2015. Age and Growth of Atlantic Sturgeon from the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 35: 364-371.

Wippelhauser, G.S., G.B. Zydlewski, M. Kieffer, J. Sulikowski, and M.T. Kinnison. Shortnose Sturgeon in the Gulf of Maine: Use of Spawning Habitat in the Kennebec System and Response to Dam Removal. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 144: 742-752.

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