Nechako-White SturgeonFair Outlook or Sunset for an ancient fish?Nechako-White SturgeonFair Outlook or Sunset for an ancient fish?

Cory WilliamsonFisheries BiologistChair- Nechako Technical Working Group

Cory WilliamsonFisheries BiologistChair- Nechako Technical Working Group

www.nechakowhitesturgeon.org

Nechako White sturgeon- OverviewBiology

Conservation Status

Recovery Approach

Stewardship Efforts

Ancient Lineage:200 MYBP (end of Triassic)

White sturgeon 9 million years

Modern humans 0.5 million years

Recruitment failure (<200 years)

27 sturgeon species world wide- 85% are critically imperilled

Overfishing and dams causing recruitment failure

IUCN has said sturgeon are the most imperiled group of animals on the planet

Fossil sturgeon;150 MYBP, China

Occupy Nechako R, Stuart R, and other large lakes

Spawns @ Vanderhoof annually- one site

Eat salmon

Ongoing recruitment failure

Juveniles #’s insignificant

Genetically distinctSmith et al. 2002; mitochondrial DNA; unique haplotypes only in Nechako group

Schreier, 2012 (In Prep); 14 microSat- low genetic diversity-

Upper Fraser DU, distinct from Mid Fraser and cryptic substructure 2 or 3 sub pops that rarely interbreed

Nechako PopulationNechako Population

HabitatsHabitats

Lake headed

Northern extent of range

Canada

U.S.A.

Canada

U.S.A.NechakoSG-5

Upper Fraser SG-4

Middle Fraser SG-3

Status: SARA- Schedule 1: Endangered

~80-90 year Nechako Female – April 2011

Recruitment Failure Since late 1960’s

Age Distribution – Comparison through time

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Fre

qu

en

cy

(%

)

0-5 10-15

21-25

31-35

40-45

51-55

61-65

71-75

81-85

91-95

Age Category

1980-1982

1995-1999

Older fish more abundant in 1995-99 catch.Young fish dominant in 1980-82 catch.

“We have a cunning plan!”

Recovery Planfor

NechakoWhite Sturgeon

March 2004

?XXSpawning EggLarvae

Hiding(1-15 days)

LarvaeFeeding

15-20 (40) days

Sub-Adults1-m to maturity

Conservation HatcheryGoal: Preserve Genetic Breadth Mature Adult

Population

(Stop-Gap)

White Sturgeon Life Stages

Habitat Research/ Recruitment Restoration

(Goal: Restore Natural Recruitment)

Eliminate Unnatural Adult/ Sub-adult Mortality

Goal: Retain Genetic Breadth

JuvenilesLess than 1-m

Recruitment

Priority Areas for Activity

High

Critical

Recovery ActionsMedium

X Severe bottleneckfor recruitment

Recovery Goal: A naturally self-sustaining population

Refinement of our understanding of recruitment failure:

Biology- larval survival, growth and behavior- preference for low velocities and clean gravels

Habitat- Geomorphology define habitat requirements.

Recruitment Restoration: Research: 2007-2009

Experimental Recruitment Restoration

Goals: Large River Field Experiment to detect post-hiding, 15 day old larvae

Increase understanding of sediment dynamics

2011- Recruitment Restoration Multi-phase project

1) Funding - Planning – Permitting2010-2011

2) Gravel PlacementFall- Spring 2011

3) Bio-Physical Monitoring 2011-2012 Wild spawn monitoring- Bio-telemetry

Egg Placement (hatchery spawn) (2011)

Egg mats and pads

D-ring Netting for larvae

Substrate monitoring

2100 m3 gravel-cobble added at two spawning sites

300,000 Eggs Placed

100% Fertilization

Zero re-captured

Nechako Conservation Centre: OutputsTarget founder population: Nm=2500

Up to 12 Maternal families annually

Spring Releases: 12,000; 120-300 g juveniles at age-1

All fish tagged and marked and tracked to maternal family.

Eggs & larvae for research.

Nechako Conservation Centre: Status

Design phaseRAS Design 95% Complete

Detailed architecture,

Construction documents by Dec 2012

Begin construction? (2013?)8 months to 1 year

Need to start work in April for completion by next spawning season

Facility in Operation? (2014?)

Harm ReductionEliminate un-natural mortality

NWSRI- CWG developed boat kits for FN fishers to release sturgeon

Sturgeon release video complete for 2012 season

Assemblies to discuss harm reduction ongoing

Uncertain Future:Recovery is technically feasible; it’s a matter of modest resourcing

Federal: focussed on planning

Provincial: focussed on resource revenue projects

Industry: will partner if government contributes

NEEF; $800k/ year available for sturgeon recovery: but requires 50% matching

Nechako Sturgeon in the News: Hope in the public realm?

Stephen Hume, Vancouver Sun October 12, 2012

“Nechako sturgeon forgotten in battle over northern gateway

Province appears to have abandoned fight to save the endangered fish”

Dene Moore, Canadian Press Sept. 26, 2012:  

“Environmentalists sue to force Ottawa to protect species along Northern Gateway route”“One of the most powerful foes of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline through northern British Columbia is not a lawyer or a conservation group or any of the many First Nations who have lined up against the project. It’s a very large, very, very old fish.”

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsCarrier Sekani Tribal Council

District of Vanderhoof

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC

BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

BC Ministry of Environment

Rio Tinto Alcan

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

BC Wildlife Federation

City of Prince George

Environmental Dynamics Inc.

Environment Canada

Nature BC

Fraser Basin Council

Fraser Basin Council

Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society

Golder Associates Ltd.

Lheidli T'enneh Band

Nechako River Alliance

Nechako Watershed Council

Resources North Association

Saikuz First Nation

School District 57

Sport Fishers

Spruce City Wildlife Association

Tl'azt'en Fisheries Program

Triton Environmental Consultants

Questions?