Despite many research and management-related studies on lake sturgeon in the last 30 years, there are still some knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to help sustainably manage lake sturgeon in the Moose River Basin. Key knowledge gaps include:
Congregation habitats: Lake sturgeon congregate in groups during spring spawning, prior to migrating in the fall, and in areas where they spend the winter. At these times, they are particularly vulnerable to harvesting and poaching. Relatively few spawning areas have been identified in the basin. Less is known about other habitats lake sturgeon congregate in.
Ecology of young sturgeon: Survival during the early life of lake sturgeon is crucial, yet very little is known about the ecology of young fish. Their habitats are believed to be quite different from adult fish. More work is needed to relate the abundance of eggs, larva, and juveniles to the number of mature fish and to environmental factors.
Distribution and abundance: While the distribution of lake sturgeon in the large rivers of the basin can be reported on, it’s unclear how many mid-sized or smaller rivers support lake sturgeon. Some of the more remote northern rivers also support lake sturgeon. The range and abundance of lake sturgeon in these rivers is also unknown.
Harvest: Reliable harvest information is currently lacking for lake sturgeon in the Moose River Basin. Harvest information is important for assessing the degree of fishing pressure on local populations and for determining sustainable harvest levels.
Cumulative effects of dams: The additive or cumulative effects of multiple dams on lake sturgeon populations are not understood. Currently, environmental impacts of dams are assessed on an individual project basis.
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