Lake sturgeon longevity significantly higher than previously estimated

New research indicates that lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes region may live significantly longer than previously estimated. A study involving Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, and the Departments of Natural Resources in Michigan and Wisconsin suggests these fish can reach lifespans of several centuries.

Lead author Ed Baker noted that male lake sturgeon could live up to 279 years, while females may live as long as 427 years. This far exceeds previous scientific estimates of approximately 150 years. The findings, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, suggest some individuals currently swimming in the Great Lakes may have been alive since before the United States was established.

Researchers attributed the previous underestimations to the limitations of traditional age-estimation methods, such as counting growth rings in fin spines, which become difficult to interpret as the fish age. Instead, the team utilized advanced mathematical modeling and longitudinal datasets to track growth patterns, a method similar to those used to study the Greenland shark.