Survey crews display a 115-pound female lake sturgeon captured in the Detroit River during spring sampling. - FWS photo by James Boase

Service Biologist Jim McFee and Mary Bohling from Michigan Sea Grant holding a lake sturgeon captured in the Detroit River during spring sampling. - FWS photo by James Boase

Fisheries Biologists James Boase and Jim McFee, and biologists from the United States Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, resumed sampling of historic and newly created spawning sites on the Detroit River. 

Sampling was conducted in both U.S. and Canadian waters of the Detroit River, from October 30^th to December 4^th, and then resumed after the ice was out of the river on March 19^th.  Fall sampling focused on identifying lake whitefish use of the Detroit River, while spring efforts have been directed at all native species with particular emphasis on walleye and lake sturgeon spawning locations.

During the sampling period in the fall and again in the spring several methods were used to collect information on fish species spawning in the Detroit River.  Service efforts were directed at compiling age and growth data on the adult stages of species spawning in the river.  Sampling included the use of gillnets, setlines and baited traps.  Biologists from the Science Center used egg mats, egg pumping equipment and larval nets in an effort to identify early life-history stages of species spawning in the river, where they were spawning and when spawning was taking place.  This research will continue through the spring of 2008.

Through this collaborative effort lake whitefish have been found spawning at a number of locations in the Detroit River for the first time in almost century.  Both adult and very young lake sturgeon have also been found occupying sections of the river in late fall and winter, indicating suitable nursery habitat exists and the fish may be residing in the river year round.  Results from this research are providing insight on the remaining spawning habitats in the Detroit River and also providing insight on the utility of creating artificial spawning habitat.