Summary
Habitat loss is a widely recognized contributor to global declines in sturgeon populations yet habitat remediation has been limited for this highly endangered group of fish. In support of future sturgeon restoration efforts, this review examines habitat remediation needs and uncertainties. Consideration of the bio‐spatial scale of remediation identified needs ranging from local to the whole river scale. Additionally, the context of remediation ranges from reintroducing sturgeon to habitats where they have been extirpated to conservation of currently functional habitat. While multiple remediation scales and contexts are discussed, the focus on spawning and early rearing habitat and associated biological and physical monitoring reflects the range of current projects and the importance of early rearing habitats. Four case studies are presented that examine four distinct remediation contexts (mitigation, rejuvenation, re‐creation, repatriation) and three bio‐spatial scales (whole river, spawning reach, spawning location) under which remediation has been attempted. Evaluation of existing remediation works indicates that many show limited long‐term success, which is most often a response to substrate infilling in remediated habitats. Material presented in this review will help align sturgeon research and monitoring approaches in support of effective remediation. The limited number of remediation projects to‐date attests to the importance of learning from existing projects and cross‐species comparisons, to maximize the effectiveness of future restoration efforts.
In 2002, the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection radio-tagged and tracked 16 sexually mature bull trout in the Goat River to determine the river's status as a bull trout spawning system, to identify and rank important spawning areas for habitat protection considerations, and to develop index sites to monitor population trends.Five tagged bull trout spawned in the Upper Goat River, eight spawned in Macleod Creek, one remained near Northstar Creek, and two moved downstream after tagging. Goat River bull trout travelled up to 500 km to and from spawning areas, highlighting the importance of the Goat River as a bull trout spawning stream. Ground-based redd (gravel nest) surveys undertaken in 2003 resulted in 73 (4.3 redds per kilometre) and 90 (9.0 redds per kilometre) redds for Upper Goat River and Macleod Creek, respectively. In 2003, the Goat River bull trout spawning population was estimated at approximately 326. The high-quality spawning habitat, water quality, and bull trout detection qualities of the Upper Goat River watershed provide ideal index sites for monitoring population trends in the upper Fraser River drainage. Proposed measures aimed at protecting important spawning habitat include “wildlife habitat area” (WHA) designations and adaptive resource management strategies involving stakeholder participation. Effective April 1, 2004, seasonal angling closures at spawning areas will serve to protect spawning bull trout. Future management direction will involve site monitoring and meta-population analysis.
How to cite this article: Babey CN, Gantner N, Williamson CJ, Spendlow IE, Shrimpton JM. Evidence of predation of juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) by North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) in the Nechako River,
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