GREEN STURGEON STUDY

Green Sturgeon 2004-2008

One of the most important reasons to do scientific research is to find out the things that you didn’t even know were important!  This was a great example.  When the west coast Vancouver Island array went in the water in April, 2004, acoustically tagged green sturgeon from California were literally under the boat waiting.  They immediately started filling our receivers with data—something we were oblivious to until we returned in mid-summer. 

This study helped shape US policy for listing green sturgeon as threatened as we showed that California Green Sturgeon were present off NW Vancouver Island, adjacent to an area where the trawl bycatch of “sturgeon” was listed in the tonnes!

Look at the extent and speed of migration!

Read the article here

Click on the box in the lower right corner for the full-screen animation

Green Sturgeon 2004-2008 Animation