Nechako White Sturgeon: Conservation Fish Culture; Recruitment Restoration and Harm Reduction Brian Frenkel Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC Chair- NWSRI- Community Working Group www.nechakowhitesturgeon
Nechako White Sturgeon: ~80-90 year Nechako Female April 2011 Recruitment Failure Since late 1960 s
Priority Areas for Activity Medium Recovery Actions High Severe bottleneck Critical X for recruitment Recovery Actions (Stop-Gap) Conservation Hatchery Goal: Preserve Genetic Breadth Eliminate Unnatural Adult/ Sub-adult Mortality Goal: Retain Genetic Breadth Mature Adult Population White Sturgeon Life Stages Recruitment Spawning Egg X Larvae Hiding (1-15 days) X Larvae Feeding 15-20 (40) days? Juveniles Less than 1-m Sub-Adults 1-m to maturity Habitat Research/ Mitigation (Goal: Restore Natural Recruitment) Recovery Goal: A naturally self-sustaining population
Part 1: Conservation Fish Culture: Objectives Capture remaining genetic breadth in founder population Produce eggs and larvae for habitat research
Pilot Hatchery to Recovery Centre: Pilot Facility 2006-2011 15,000 40-g juveniles 300,000 1-15 day larvae 300,000 Eggs 2011 Recovery Centre- 2013 NEW FACILITY!
Nechako Conservation Centre: Operating Principals Breeding Plan (2006) Risk Adverse-flexible Wild brood Limit outputs Front-end loading Factorial mating-schemes Avoid genetic selection Adaptive Management Track releases (PIT tags, marking, release location and timing) Assess post release Assess genetic contribution
Nechako Conservation Centre: Outputs Target founder population: 2500 Up to 12 Maternal families annually Spring Releases: 12,000; 120 g juveniles at age-1 All fish tagged and marked and tracked to maternal family. Eggs & Larvae for habitat research.
Nechako Conservation Centre: Design Considerations New Facility! Recovery Team Requirements River water (larval imprinting) Substrate rearing larvae Improved growth; development; swimming performance Use of all potential breeders (maximize genetic breadth) Large fish/ conditioning of sub-mature brood Temperature manipulation/acclimation for brood
Nechako Conservation Centre: Technologies Recirculation, re-use Energy efficiency Water supply (River water) Infiltration gallery De-chlorinated municipal as backup Automatic systems feeding; water quality Alarmed, back-up generator and water supply
Nechako Conservation Centre: Status Announcement of Sturgeon Conservation Centre on April 10,2013 Begin construction June 2013 Facility in Operation Spring 2014
Part 2: Recruitment Restoration Multi-phase approach 1) Funding - Planning Permitting 2) Gravel Placement Fall- Spring 2011 3) Bio-Physical Monitoring Wild spawn monitoring- Bio-telemetry Egg Placement (hatchery spawn) Egg mats and pads D-ring Netting for larvae Substrate monitoring
Experimental Recruitment Goals: Restoration Large River Field Experiment to produce Post-hiding, 15 day old larvae Increase understanding of sediment dynamics
2100 m 3 gravel-cobble added at two spawning sites
300,000 Eggs Placed 100% Fertilization Zero re-captured
Part 3- Harm Reduction Eliminate un-natural mortality NWSRI- CWG developed boat kits for FN fishers to release sturgeon Sturgeon release video in production Assemblies to discuss harm reduction upcoming
Acknowledgements Carrier Sekani Tribal Council District of Vanderhoof Fisheries and Oceans Canada Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations BC Ministry of Environment Rio Tinto Alcan Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada BC Wildlife Federation City of Prince George Environmental Dynamics Inc. Environment Canada Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society Golder Associates Ltd. Lheidli T'enneh Band Nechako River Alliance Nechako Watershed Council Resources North Association Saik uz First Nation School District 57 Sport Fishers Spruce City Wildlife Association Tl'azt'en Fisheries Program Triton Environmental Consultants Nature BC Fraser Basin Council
Questions?