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Mohawk Council of Akwesasne says sturgeon being killed intentionally in St. Lawrence River

Posted 8/16/16

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) says sturgeon are being intentionally killed and found in the St. Lawrence River. The MCA Department of Tehotiennawakon Environment Program has been informed …

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Mohawk Council of Akwesasne says sturgeon being killed intentionally in St. Lawrence River

Posted

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) says sturgeon are being intentionally killed and found in the St. Lawrence River.

The MCA Department of Tehotiennawakon Environment Program has been informed that 11 sturgeon were recovered floating in the river after being gutted and discarded. It is believed that whoever is responsible for the killing of the fish are removing the eggs; it has been thought that the eggs are being harvested to sell and create caviar. At this time, both the MCA and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) are investigating the matter.

More conservation efforts have been put into place to help the lake sturgeon population recover such as improvements in water quality, regulated water flows from dams and stricter regulations or elimination of commercial and recreational fishing of lake sturgeon in the St. Lawrence River and tributaries.

Lake sturgeon is a threatened species that is under the protection of Canadian and U.S. regulation.

It has ties to an ancient species of fish that lived more than 200 million years ago and sometimes is referred to as a “living fossil” as a result. They can grow more than six feet in length, weigh up to 400 pounds and live up to 55 years for males, and 150 years for females.

Females will spawn once every four to five years. Most females do not reach sexual maturity until they reach 10 years of age, meaning they do not reproduce as quickly as other freshwater fish. Threats to sturgeon include over-harvesting, poor water quality, and the construction of dams and other river barriers that block their migratory route.