Ancient species spotted along Trail shoreline offers hope for Upper Columbia sturgeon

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What could be greater than a lunchtime stroll along the Trail Esplanade, with the sunshine foretelling a bright summer to come?

How about spotting an ancient species of fish – one that swam alongside the dinosaurs?

That’s exactly what happened to Diane Langman during a midday walk through downtown Trail last week, when she caught sight of a white sturgeon, several feet long, basking near the shoreline of the Columbia River.

“Pretty cool sight to see on our afternoon walk along the Esplanade,” Langman says.

While not dinosaurs themselves, sturgeon are among the oldest bony fish species still in existence.

They’ve remained largely unchanged for millions of years, earning them the nickname “living fossils.”

And while it’s a rare thrill to spot one up close, this brush with B.C.’s prehistoric past is also a reminder of how close the Upper Columbia white sturgeon came to vanishing, and how much work is still being done to save them.

White sturgeon have lived in the Columbia Basin for millennia, but in recent decades, their survival has been jeopardized by habitat loss, altered river flows and poor natural recruitment, the term used to describe the ability of young fish to survive to adulthood.

In response, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and provincial agencies declared the Upper Columbia white sturgeon population at risk following a 2003 assessment by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

The white sturgeon was then formally protected when the population was listed under the Species at Risk Act in August 2006.

Fast forward 18 years: according to a 2024 federal Action Plan released by Fisheries and Oceans Canada under the Act, the Upper Columbia population remains critically endangered due to continued recruitment failure.

The plan outlines dozens of actions aimed at long-term recovery, including conservation aquaculture, habitat protection, and enhanced monitoring.

One of the central components of the recovery strategy has been the use of conservation aquaculture to raise wild-caught embryos and larvae in hatcheries before releasing them back into the river.

A July 2024 update from BC Hydro reports that more than 5,000 hatchery-origin white sturgeon are now in the system, a significant improvement from the early 2000s, when the population was in freefall.

According to BC Hydro’s 2024 monitoring report, an estimated 1,000 wild adult white sturgeon remain in the Canadian section of the Upper Columbia River.

Efforts to preserve genetic diversity in the population are also proving promising.

A 2024 peer-reviewed study titled “Conservation Aquaculture of Wild-Origin Offspring Preserves Genetic Diversity in an Endangered Population of White Sturgeon” found that hatchery cohorts produced between 2014 and 2020 maintained genetic diversity levels comparable to the wild adult population.

This success was attributed to the use of embryos and larvae collected directly from wild spawning events.

Researchers concluded that each cohort represented the offspring of hundreds of unique wild families, far exceeding what could be achieved through traditional captive breeding.

“The program’s shift to collecting naturally spawned larvae has been critical,” the researchers noted, recommending this approach as a model for similar recovery programs.

Critical habitat work is also advancing.

A May 2024 scientific advisory from DFO identified the Kinnaird Reach near Castlegar as key spawning and rearing habitat, supporting all life stages of sturgeon.

Based on new monitoring data, the advisory recommends expanding habitat protections in the area.

Meanwhile, local restoration and outreach continue to play a key role.

BC Hydro, in partnership with Indigenous communities, environmental groups, and the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, has completed substrate enhancement projects at known spawning sites, including the tailrace of the Arrow Lakes Generating Station.

Spawning activity was recorded there in summer 2023, suggesting early signs of success.

Public engagement remains strong.

In May 2024, community members joined the Okanagan Nation Alliance and provincial partners to release dozens of juvenile sturgeon into Arrow Lakes Reservoir.

Since 2007, more than 60,000 young sturgeon have been released into this system through community-driven programs.

While full natural recovery may take decades, the combined efforts of federal and provincial agencies, First Nations, scientists and local residents are providing hope that this ancient fish — the largest freshwater species in Canada — will once again thrive in the Columbia River.

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