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STURGEON |
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The Aquarium is home to hundreds of fish, tropical and freshwater. While most are unique and colorful, there are a few whose looks only a mother could love. The Lake Sturgeon falls somewhere in between. It’s not a beautiful fish; it’s a long, gray specimen that you might not notice, at first. But, area fishermen are certainly familiar with this fish. At one time, this large and fascinating, prehistoric- looking fish thrived in the Great Lakes, and even the Niagara River.
But, for a variety of reasons, including over-fishing, sturgeon is not as plentiful today as it once was. Some Great Lakes states now have extremely strict rules in place. Only so many can be caught. In fact, only one sturgeon per calendar year can be taken in Minnesota, and it must meet length requirements, from 45 to 50 inches long. The Aquarium is fortunate to have this odd-looking fish (we have 3 large lakers) in our exhibit. Sturgeon, if they survive, can live to be 100 years old and weigh 200 pounds. They may not be the most colorful, but they are one of the most interesting of all our specimens.
This North American temperate water fish is an “ancient bottom feeder,” according to Wikipedia.com. Its body is covered with rows of “bony plates” that almost resemble armor. The sturgeon here are from 4 to almost 5 feet long. They use their spade-like snouts and four barbells under its chin (like whiskers but actually a sensory organ) to find food as they stir up the sand and silt beneath them. Because they do not have teeth, they primarily eat soft organisms and small fish.
Although these fish can live for a century, many sturgeon do not reach sexual maturity until the third decade of their life. Taking them before this reduces their productivity. Those who think caviar (the eggs of female sturgeon) is a gourmet treat are indirectly responsible for the shortage of sturgeon. As long as there is a demand for caviar, fishermen will continue to harvest the dwindling species.
Years ago, sturgeon air bladders were used in the making of isinglass, a substance used in glue and jelly, and in thin sheets, used as windows in carriages and buggies. The oil from the fish was once used to fuel steamboats. No wonder the sturgeon population became endangered.
While over-fishing is the primary reason for sturgeon decreasing in numbers, pollution and loss of migratory waterways are two others. Once the most sought after fish in the Great Lakes, the lake sturgeon is now protected in many areas and limits set on the number that can be taken.
These fascinating fish can be seen in the Aquarium’s Great Lakes exhibit on the first floor. Come in and take a look. No fishing poles allowed!
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Researched and written by Dan Arcara, Exhibits Supervisor
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