Lake Sturgeon Conservation

Lake Sturgeon in Eeyou Istchee is primarily threatened by hydroelectrical development, which has altered many of the watersheds in the territory. Dams and other hydroelectric infrastructure have reduced habitat connectivity, flooded important habitat, altered flows and water levels, and disrupted Lake Sturgeon behavior. Lake Sturgeon are also affected by forestry, mining, and unsustainable harvesting practices. These stressors can interact with one another, amplifying their impacts on Lake Sturgeon health and survival in a rapidly changing landscape.

Lake Sturgeon in Canada were first assessed by the Committee of the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) in 1986, when they were designated “Not at Risk”. In 2005, Lake Sturgeon were split into four separate units that could be assessed independently. Lake Sturgeon in the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) territory are part of the “Southern Hudson Bay — James Bay” unit (DU3), which inhabits an area stretching from Manitoba to Quebec. This unit was designated as “Special Concern” in 2006, with this designation being re-evaluated and reconfirmed in 2017. After this designation was formally declared in 2019, the Cree Nation Government and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) began negotiating towards the creation of a Section 11 Conservation Agreement, which was finalized in 2022 and establishes a framework for Nation-to-Nation collaboration for the conservation of Lake Sturgeon in the JBNQA territory.

In parallel with the negotiation of the Section 11 Conservation Agreement, the Cree Nation Government began working towards the creation of a Cree-Led Lake Sturgeon Threat Management Plan. This was a highly collaborative effort, which involved three community tours across the Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee to gather information directly from Cree land users, tallymen and community members about the threats facing Lake Sturgeon, as well as the most effective and locally relevant conservation measures. The final document was prepared by the Cree Nation Government, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Cree Trappers’ Association, with input from partners including the Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee, Abitibiwinni First Nation, and more. Members of these organizations and external experts provided input to the Operational Working Group (established under the Agreement for the Conservation of the Lake Sturgeon, Southern Hudson Bay-James Bay populations), which oversaw the development of this plan. Completed in 2024, the Cree-Led Threat Management Plan will be included as a chapter in the federal management plan for Lake Sturgeon- DU3.

The threat management plan identifies five broad strategies for ensuring, to the extent possible, the long-term persistence of JBNQA Territory Lake Sturgeon throughout their current range, and the prevention of the species from becoming threatened or endangered.

These strategies are to:

a) conduct further research on Lake Sturgeon and threats in the territory,

b) carry out new surveys and monitoring of Lake Sturgeon populations,

c) protect, restore, and enhance Lake Sturgeon habitat,

d) mitigate threats, and

e) promote Cree stewardship and new stakeholder/rightsholder collaborations.

Twenty-eight specific conservation measures are recommended, each corresponding to at least one of these strategies. Achieving the management objectives of this plan would mean that Lake Sturgeon population, distribution, and habitat objectives would be met in the territory, and population levels and habitat are sufficient to support Lake Sturgeon in the territory, as well as to sustain the ongoing Cree harvesting activities, all while remaining consistent with the rights of Cree land-users. Successful stewardship of these Lake Sturgeon populations will depend on the continued commitment and collaboration of the many different constituencies involved in developing and implementing this plan.