![]() After initial findings, Fish and Game decided to dig deeper to study the population and collaborate with the University of Idaho over the next two years. Fish ranged in size from 2 feet to 8 feet long. IDFG’s summer survey collected 116 sturgeon from Milner Dam upstream to Idaho Falls. It is illegal to remove a sturgeon from the water. For those reasons – and because Snake River sturgeon have been blocked from migrating to traditional spawning areas by dams – sturgeon fishing in Idaho is catch-and-release only with specific gear regulations to protect the fish. ![]() Sturgeon can live to be more than 100 years old, grow to 10 to 12 feet long, weigh more than 200 pounds and don’t spawn until they’re 20 years old. That’s encouraging to see that they’re growing fast.” ![]() We did find out that growth rates were higher than what we’ve seen in our more wild, historic sturgeon populations, say in like Hell’s Canyon, and in and below Bliss Dam. “We did find out that it is a more robust fishery than we thought,” said Joe Thiessen, regional fisheries biologist and lead on the study. This summer, fisheries biologists decided to take a peek to see if it was worth a deeper study. Idaho Fish and Game has been dropping hundreds of white sturgeon into the Snake River between Idaho Falls and the American Falls Dam for the past 30 years but has never paused to take a look at what’s going on with the fish that is not native to the river above Shoshone Falls. Mike Demick is the conservation information supervisor for the Idaho Department of Fish & Game.IDAHO FALLS – Even though sturgeon have been around unchanged for more than 200 million years, knowledge of the relative newcomer now patrolling the upper Snake River of eastern Idaho is a big question mark. “Our new blog features will be a great way to give folks a glimpse into the details behind some of our lesser-known conservation efforts.” “Many Idahoans don’t realize how much effort goes on behind the scenes when it comes to managing sturgeon populations in Idaho,” said Martin Koenig, Fish and Game’s sportfishing coordinator. Each article will show one step in the process from collecting adults to spawning, rearing and releasing juveniles. Over the next seven weeks, Fish and Game will present a series of blog articles to take readers behind-the-scenes in what it takes to spawn these huge fish as part of this amazing program. The main goal is to ensure sturgeon populations are healthy and can continue to support recreational sport fishing. Part of this effort involves stocking hatchery sturgeon from wild parents to help increase population numbers. Idaho Department of Fish and Game is working with Idaho Power and College of Southern Idaho in the middle Snake River to help conserve White sturgeon. The Kootenai River also has a distinct white sturgeon population that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.ĭespite their wide distribution in Idaho, sturgeon face significant challenges from a history of overharvest and extensive changes to their river habitats. ![]() In Idaho, they are present throughout the Snake River up to Shoshone Falls, and in the lower Salmon River. White sturgeon can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest from Alaska to California. There are eight species of sturgeon living in North America, but only white sturgeon are found in Idaho. The white sturgeon can reach 15 feet long and weigh more than 1,100 pounds. ![]()
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