Life History Information

• On average lake sturgeon live for 40 to 60 years, grow to 90–150 cm (3–5 ft) and weigh 10–35 kg (20–90 lbs).
• A very old lake sturgeon may be over a hundred years old, weigh 135 kg (300 lbs) and grow to a length of 2.5m (8 ft).
• Slow growers
  • Sturgeon are slow growing fish. In the Saskatchewan River this slow growth is partly due to the cold water temperatures.
  • Sturgeon grow throughout their entire lifetime. Much like a tree, sturgeon lay down growth rings in their pectoral (front side) fins as they grow. A cross section of this fin allows you to discover the age of the sturgeon.
• Late Spawners
  • Lake sturgeon do not reproduce until the males are about 15–20 years old and the females are 25–30 years old. This makes sturgeon populations very vulnerable to over-harvest.
  • Sturgeon spawn in the late spring once water temperature reaches 11°C and each female can produce up to 1 million eggs.