University of Toledo

Lake sturgeon are an iconic fish species of the Great Lakes.

The University of Toledo is a key collaborator in a multi-agency initiative to reestablish a self-sustaining population of this endangered species in the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, with Dr. William Hintz, a freshwater ecologist, leading research into the survival and behavior of hatchery-raised fingerlings that are released each year. Recent analysis of acoustic telemetry data suggests early signs of success in this effort that promises ecological and commercial benefits, as recently described in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management.

The work of UToledo and its national, state and local collaborators, including the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium, builds on the broader freshwater ecology research expertise of UToledo’s Lake Erie Center, where faculty and students study algal blooms, invasive species, salt pollution and more in Lake Erie and throughout the Great Lakes.