Most of the 27 sturgeon species in the world are threatened or endangered according to the IUCN. For white sturgeon in BC half of the populations have been undergoing recruitment failure for over 40 years, and natural juvenile production is insufficient to sustain the population. Currently populations in the Nechako, Columbia and Kootenay Rivers are sustained by inputs from conservation fish hatcheries, however, restoration of natural recruitment is the long term recovery goal. While recruitment failure is linked to the presence of dams and flow regulation, a detailed understanding the causal mechanisms is critical to reversing this effect. Research in the past decade has identified important links between recruitment failure and infilling of early rearing habitats by sand and fines. Biological investigations indicate that the presence of suitable interstitial spaces is critical for early development and survival. The negative consequence of substrate change in early rearing habitats, combined with an improved understanding of the fluvial geomorphology of these habitats, has led to the implementation of experimental substrate restoration. While substrate restoration provides a promising approach further evaluation over multiple years is required to verify response from current restoration studies.

This special presentation is being funded by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program. For those interested in listening to the presentation but who are unable to attend in person can join through LiveStream. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.