Protect the future of an ancient fish
the Pallid Sturgeon
Recovery Efforts
The Missouri River Recovery Program
is meant to restore the habitat and ecosystem of the Missouri River. Started in 2005 by the United States government, the US Army Corps of Engineers has led funding initiatives. 2 years later in 2007, Congress authorized the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee to help the corps protect the endangered species including the pallid sturgeon. In order to understand how the pallid sturgeon repopulate, scientists installed tracking devices in the fish. In addition, sensors were installed that gathered data on where sturgeon swam, their depth, and body temperature, in order to understand migration and spawn patterns.
Unfortunately, in 2011 massive flooding occurred, and in March of 2018, judges ruled that some of the floods on nearby farmland were the fault of the Corps. The damages brought on by the floods cost an estimated $300 million. As shown in the graphic on the right, the funding for these projects to protect the pallid sturgeon has steadily decreased. This August, the Corps sent a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stating that they can’t afford to go forward with habitat restoration of the sturgeon. As Michael Mac, former director and chairman of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Environmental Research Center in Columbia, Missouri, states, “This program is too darn valuable, to let it just wither and die on the vine.”
Biologists document rare pallid sturgeon spawning run (Billings Gazette).
HOW ARE THEY BEING PROTECTED?
The pallid sturgeon has been listed as an endangered species in the United States since September 6, 1990, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In accordance with the endangered species act, there are regulations in place to keep this species around for the next 78 million years. Harvesting and selling pallid sturgeon or their roe is a misdemeanor and there are federal laws that protect the flow of the Missouri river. In fact, the United States Army Corps of Engineers protects the river, making sure that navigation is kept, floods are limited, and environmental needs are met. Additionally, the Attorney General of Missouri fights to protect the Missouri River. For example, when the federal government wanted to divert the Missouri River into waterways that flow into the Hudson, attorney general Eric Schmitt prevented the action from occurring (Missouri River).