The lake sturgeon in Ontario

Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are the largest and most long-lived fish in Ontario. The existence of lake sturgeon dates back to the time of dinosaurs over two hundred million years ago. Lake sturgeon are an important and highly revered fish to First Nations communities. In the late 1800s, lake sturgeon were heavily exploited for their meat and roe (caviar). Pollution and alteration of their habitat, including construction of dams and hydroelectric generating facilities, in conjunction with exploitation were responsible for a dramatic decline in sturgeon stocks throughout Ontario. The biological characteristics of the lake sturgeon (i.e., late maturity, spawning periodicity, spawning site fidelity) contribute to their vulnerability to anthropogenic stressors. Most lake sturgeon populations in the province have not recovered more than one hundred years after their decline.