DEXTER, New York (WWNY) – The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is studying how fish species spawn in Lake Ontario, and hoping to help boost their population in the process.
The DEC is creating two “spawning reefs” in Chaumont Bay and Black River Bay, for several species of native fish.
The DEC, along with US Fish and Wildlife, and the US Geological Survey, wants to make spawning more accessible for four native species in Lake Ontario. They say the spawning reefs – the one in Black River Bay is already built and the in Chaumont Bay is scheduled to be built – should make reproducing easier for both prey and predator fish.
“This project, hopefully the sturgeon will be using it, which we anticipate they will. It will help with natural reproduction of a threatened species in New York State,” said Jana Lantry, from the DEC.
“The hope is, it will result in increased population size of those spawning populations in Chaumont Bay,” said Christopher Legard, also from the DEC.
Along with the aid in the reproduction process, the agencies hope to learn valuable information about just how these species actually go about spawning. The agencies are using tagging and tracking tools to learn more about the native species.
“As the fish are swimming around right now those receivers are gathering data. Later this year, we will pull those receivers, download the data, and really get a better feel for the movement of the fish,” Lantry said.
“The spawning reefs are going to be a key piece in furthering that research in better understanding the impediments to successful natural reproduction for these two native species,” Legard said.
The two species Legard is referring to in Chaumont Bay are the lake whitefish, and the cisco fish, both of which are prey fish, and in Black River Bay it is the lake sturgeon and walleye they’re aiming to assist.
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