Releasing Lake sturgeon in the Maumee River
Lake sturgeon play a crucial role in maintaining healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. Once abundant in the Maumee River during the 1800s, their population has since rapidly declined due to increased demand for caviar and commercial overfishing. Ohio currently lacks a known reproducing population of Lake sturgeon.
Toledo Zoo is proud to operate Ohio’s first streamside rearing facility dedicated to the recovery of Lake sturgeon. Each year, we raise thousands of sturgeon eggs collected in U.S. and Canadian waters until they reach approximately four months old (about 6–7 inches long). At that point, they’re released into the Maumee River, where fisheries biologists from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitor their progress. The goal is to take advantage of the species’ natural homing instincts—encouraging the sturgeon to return to the Maumee River to spawn in about 20 years. As of early 2025, the Zoo and its partners have released more than 18,000 Lake sturgeon into local waters.
Each year, our conservation staff implants PIT tags into 1,500 Lake sturgeon, providing a permanent form of identification. During Sturgeon Fest, visitors can release sturgeon directly into the Maumee River and also sponsor a fish by linking their name to its PIT tag. When the fish are recaptured, scientists record their tag numbers, length and weight. So far, over 30 Lake sturgeon have been recaptured from previous releases, with the longest fish growing to ~22 inches in three years!
Spot A Sturgeon? Click here to help us monitor recovery efforts by reporting sightings to ODNR.
