Endangered Lake Sturgeon Released in Tennessee River System; 'King of Fishes' Once Numerous, Now Nearly Extinct

4/17/2002

From: Wendy Smith of WWF, 615-584-5382 Barbara Martocci of TVA, 865-632-8632 Email: southernrivers@att.net

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., April 17 -- Hundreds of hatchery-raised lake sturgeons were released today into the French Broad River, part of the Tennessee River system, below Douglas Dam. Lake sturgeon is an endangered species in Tennessee.

More than 50 school children participated in the event as part of a 25-year effort to reestablish the rich aquatic life that once existed in this part of the state. Along with lake sturgeon, the program aims to reestablish self-sustaining populations of freshwater mussels, snails and other fishes. Lake sturgeon is an endangered species in Tennessee. It is not a federally listed endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

"An astonishing array of creatures live in the Tennessee River Basin," said Wendy Smith, director of WWF's Southeast Rivers and Streams Project. "In fact, this part of the world boasts the greatest diversity of temperate freshwater aquatic species on Earth, but populations of some species, like lake sturgeon, have been decimated. They are an important part of the ecosystem so reestablishing them is a big step towards revitalizing our rivers."

Lake sturgeon once thrived throughout Tennessee, but were killed off through overharvesting, water pollution and dams which decreased their ability to migrate throughout the river system.

"Today's release would not be possible without improved water quality in the French Broad River, as well as TVA's Reservoir Releases Improvement Program," said Sam Hamilton, Southeast regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow dubbed lake sturgeon the "king of fishes" because they can grow to be eight feet long, weigh more than 300 pounds and live to be 100 years old.

"Working to reestablish a large native fish like the lake sturgeon is a once in a lifetime opportunity," said George Benz, director of the Southeast Aquatic Research Institute. "Just imagine seeing an eight foot long sturgeon swimming in a small river in the Tennessee River system. My generation hasn't had that experience but hopefully my grandchildren will."

Although lake sturgeon populations have declined over much of their range in Tennessee and elsewhere, evidence suggests that populations can recover when sufficient numbers of mature fish and adequate habitat are maintained.

"The goal of this program is to reestablish native aquatic species in the French Broad River and reestablish the lake sturgeon so that it does not need Endangered Species Act protection," said Dick Biggins, fish and mussel recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Southeast. "We hope our efforts will establish a self-sustaining population that may eventually become a fishable resource."

Seven years ago, Ed Scott, an aquatic biologist with the Tennessee Valley Authority began observing a remarkable comeback of fish communities and aquatic insects in the French Broad River.

"These biological improvements caught the attention of state and federal agencies and that lead to the reintroduction program and today's release."

"It will be years before we know whether we have a sustainable population of lake sturgeon in the upper Tennessee River system, and this shows the importance of not losing species in the first place," said Gary Myers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. "The project includes a long-term monitoring study, through which sturgeon will be tagged and followed to learn more about their life history and preferred habitat. We hope that people who fish these waters will help us by releasing any lake sturgeon they catch and by letting us know where the fish was caught, as well as its condition and size."

State law will continue to protect the lake sturgeon and regulate any sport fisheries that may develop in the years to come.

Partners in the reintroduction project include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Aquatic Research Institute, the Tennessee Aquarium, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the World Wildlife Fund's Southeast Rivers and Streams Project.

Note to Editors: Photographs and B Roll of the sturgeon release can be obtained through World Wildlife Fund.

Known worldwide by its panda logo, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) leads international efforts to protect endangered species and preserve the diversity of life on Earth. Now in its 40th year, WWF works in more than 100 countries around the world. Web site: http://www.worldwildlife.org