Sturgeon are long-living, late-maturing animals. They have a complicated anadromous life cycle, living mostly at sea and returning to freshwater to spawn. The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) primarily studied threatened Atlantic sturgeon in two areas of the Bay of Fundy—the Minas Passage, Nova Scotia, and the Saint John River, New Brunswick. This research program has filled critical knowledge gaps on sturgeons’ complex life history including population dynamics, spatial and temporal movement patterns, overwintering areas, growth, diet, survival and abundance.

In the Minas Passage, data have provided insight into the controversial overlap of the sturgeon population with deployed and proposed in-stream tidal turbines. Telemetry is helping researchers and managers assess potential negative impacts of tidal power infrastructure on sturgeon and other species of concern. The results are being used directly by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and other regulators to improve management for the conservation of Atlantic sturgeon.

In the Saint John River, studies have revealed the distribution and timing of migrating adult sturgeon to and from the river, as well as the timing and location of spawning. In addition, studies of both Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon determined movement and aggregation areas of juveniles within the Saint John River. This provided the first evidence that overwintering juveniles make regular movements among sites and suggests competition for foraging areas and prey exists between the two species.

These studies provided the basis to develop the OTN project on white sturgeon in the Fraser River, British Columbia (OTN project 4.14), and to incorporate accelerometry studies (OTN project 4.3) into sturgeon research.