The Daily Bulletin Archive

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Using Past Lake Sturgeon Sightings in the Upper Niagara River to Inform Current Habitat Characterization," presented by Buffalo State alumna Jo Johnson, on Monday, April 24, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 216. Ms. Johnson obtained her B.A. in biology in 2015 and her M.A. in biology in 2017 from Buffalo State. Currently, she works for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, conducting fisheries population assessment surveys and mapping habitat characteristics of the Niagara river using multi-beam and side-scan sonars to develop a habitat suitability index model for lake sturgeon. Attendees are welcome to arrive at 2:30 p.m. to enjoy coffee and cookies before the seminar begins.

Abstract
Spawning adult lake sturgeon are documented in the Buffalo Harbor, and although historically juvenile sturgeon have been observed throughout the upper Niagara River, recent sightings have been scarce. Ms. Johnson and her colleagues revisited angler accounts and scientific dive data from 1994 to 1999 regarding juvenile lake sturgeon and habitat observations in the upper Niagara to inform a contemporary study. Baited set lines and gill nets were deployed at historical sighting locations in spring and fall of 2021–2022; however, no fish were captured. They used a multi-beam echo sounder to collect side-scan imagery and bathymetric data for 460 hectares throughout the river, which will be integrated into a 2-D HEC-RAS model to derive bottom-depth flow estimates. Habitat is currently being characterized, and a habitat suitability index model will be developed to identify whether there is sufficient habitat available. These results will inform managers of the Great Lakes Area of Concern program, and determine whether or not habitat installation in the Niagara River is warranted to sustain early life stages of lake sturgeon. These findings are relevant for other management goals in the Niagara River, such as native mussel restoration.