AWRI to study lake sturgeon

Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resources Institute is collaborating with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to study the population and safe habitat of lake sturgeon in the Muskegon River through 2010.

Carl Ruetz, principal investigator of the project and a research scientist with AWRI, said data are already being collected to determine how successful lake sturgeon are reproducing.

“Lake sturgeon are a threatened species in this state and their population numbers are way down from historic levels,” said Ruetz. “These patterns are often an indicator of the overall health of a river or lake.”

Ruetz said the study includes assessing the different stages during the life cycle of the fish to determine the population status of lake sturgeon in the Muskegon River. He said preserving lake sturgeon is a priority because they could become an important sport fish, and if numbers continue to rise over several decades, they could be harvested for caviar.

For more information, contact the Annis Water Resources Institute at (616) 331-3749.