Sturgeon Habitat Restoration, Monitoring and Education

The primitive Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) once populated the Detroit River in the thousands. Now, less than one percent of the original population of Lake sturgeon exists in the Great Lakes due to habitat loss, pollution, and over-harvesting.

Michigan Sea Grant has been working to enhance a healthy, and self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the Detroit River and to educate others about the life history and unique attributes of one of the oldest fish on earth.

Funded by NOAA through an MDEQ Coastal Management grant, the Sea Grant-led project supported construction of three artificial spawning reefs in the Detroit River, in the waters off Belle Isle in the northern section of the river. Additional project support was provided by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust and Detroit Edison, a DTE-Energy Company. Michigan Sea Grant works closely with biologists at USGS and US FWS, who are evaluating fish use of the reefs.

Learn More About:

• Construction of three spawning reefs in the Detroit River.
• Education about the history and biology of Lake sturgeon.
• Monitoring the spawning reefs by collecting data on eggs deposited.

See: NOAA Spotlight Feature article