The unusually high number has prompted scientists to report and submit photos of sightings of dead sturgeon in the Nechako and Upper Fraser rivers. Samples of the 11 fish are being tested, but provincial scientists say none had visible signs of injury, nor do they believe the fish died from disease, chemical exposure or fishing activity. “It’s early, but it’s definitely a concern,” said Steve McAdam, head of sturgeon recovery at the Department of Land, Water and Resources Management. “At this point we’re really in an information-gathering stage. The newsletter really came out to engage the public – they’re the ears and eyes on the water. So if people see a fish, we want to find it and get it .” The Nechako River empties into the Fraser River near Prince George. The Nechako white sturgeon is listed as Critically Endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SRA). They can live over 100 years, reach six meters in length and are considered an iconic animal. “The lineage has been around for 250 million years. People call them living dinosaurs … and I think it’s extremely important to emphasize that they are culturally important to First Nations,” said McAdam. WATCHES | Couple catches sturgeon at end of month-long fishing trip in B.C Braeden Rouse felt a tug on his line and after half an hour of fighting he landed a sturgeon. Several dead white sturgeons have also been seen in the Lower Fraser River this year, but nothing out of the ordinary, according to Sarah Schreier of the Fraser River Conservation Society. The Lower Fraser is the area downstream from Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Gorge. Although not as critical as the Nechako population further north, the white sturgeon in the Lower Fraser is considered threatened under the Species at Risk Act, with only an estimated 45,000 left. “Any fish we lose from those abundances — the Nechako or Fraser population — is concerning because we want to keep that fish on the right track and bring it back,” he said. The white sturgeon has been affected by many factors: habitat loss, reduction in the supply of food such as salmon and whiting, fishing and changing environmental conditions. “There’s no real smoking gun, to be honest,” Schreier said. “It’s a hardy, robust fish that survived two ice ages, so it’s tough to survive. But the puzzle is why [these deaths] happen and why the recovery is not happening faster”. People who see and photograph dead sturgeon in the Nechako area are asked to submit the information to Nikolaus Gantner at 250 649-2876 or email [email protected]
