Ecology and Management of Pallid Sturgeon and Sturgeon Chub in the Lower Platte River, Nebrasks

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defective transmitter. The remaining nine fish were regularly tracked via airboat and aerial surveys. During the 2000 tracking campaign, shovelnose sturgeon were located 63 times from the airboat and 50 times from aerial surveys. In 2001, an additional four fish (381, 521, 621, and 66 1) were implanted with transmitters. Fish 621, a female pallid sturgeon (880mm, 2.45kg), was taken using a trot line. This fish was implanted on May 3, 2001 near the Highway 50 bridge, approximately 22 km upstream of the confluence of the Platte and Missouri Rivers. Tracking of pallid and shovelnose sturgeon in 2001 yielded a total of 201 airboat observations and 185 aerial contacts. Airboat surveys obtained habitat information from June 18 to October 31, 2000 and May 4 to December 5, 2001.. Aerial surveys, performed bi- monthly, tracked sturgeon movements from June 18, 2000 to December 18, 2001. Six transmitters have expired from the time of the 2000 implantations. Three of these fish were successfully recaptured and implanted with new transmitters, extending tracking capabilities of these fish through January, 2003. During March and April 2002 five additional shovelnose sturgeon were implanted with radio transmitters (Table 1.2). Airboat surveys conducted from March 13, 2002 to April 18, 2002 have yielded a total of 39 airboat observations. Aerial surveys in 2002 have located ten shovelnose sturgeon a total of 53 times. Airboat and aerial surveys will continue throughout 2002. Currently we have 15 sturgeon with functioning transmitters (14 shovelnose, 1 pallid). Unfortunately four of the 15 fish cannot be located due to movement into the Missouri River or transmitter malfunction.