Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program:
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are native to major river systems in the western United States and Canada. In the Columbia River, state, federal, and tribal agencies have been actively managing and monitoring sturgeon populations since 1989. Since the construction of the Federal Columbia River Power System, white sturgeon populations have become reproductively isolated, leading to declining recruitment rates, especially in the middle and upper river impoundments. To address these challenges, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife implanted acoustic tags in 61 adult white sturgeon captured in the John Day Reservoir (between McNary and John Day dams) from 2018 to 2021. This research aims to pair telemetry data with locational data collected from stock assessment monitoring to gain a comprehensive understanding of the large-scale seasonal movements of different sexes and age classes in the reservoir. Additionally, we will use side-scan sonar images and other environmental data to identify suitable spawning and rearing grounds, and telemetry data will be used to characterize movements within these spawning grounds. The outcomes of this research will inform management strategies aimed at improving spawning and recruitment success for white sturgeon in the Columbia River, thus supporting the conservation of a valuable native species.