Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Aquaculture & Fisheries

Contribution of different spawning locations to the overall lake sturgeon population in the Lake Winnebago system is unknown at this time and this information is critical in developing management strategies. The objectives are to determine if: 1) otolith microchemistry can be used to identify larval and juvenile lake sturgeon hatching at different locations; 2) if differences in chemical signatures are consistent between otoliths and fin rays; 3) abundance of larval sturgeon varies among spawning locations; 4) if contribution to spearing harvest varies among spawning locations. Project will require extensive field and lab work.