Just this month, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) released 1,000 lake sturgeon into the Genesee River. These fish happen to be particularly fascinating in that they have been around since prehistoric periods spanning 200 million years back. Nicknamed “living fossils,” the fish of this riveting sturgeon species often live to be up to 100 years old (the oldest on record being 154 years of age).
The Genesee River is often reputed to be the Rochester equivalent of the renowned Hudson River: murky, filthy, toxic sludge. While it is true that the beloved Genny–spanning from Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario–should not be one’s first choice for swimming or drinking water due to its high pollutant content (ranked a “C” grade in water quality), this river is home to a vast stock of fish of a diverse array of species, among them being lake sturgeon, which are a threatened species in New York State.
These sturgeon were raised in the Oneida Fish Hatchery for four months before they were released into the Genesee. In addition to growing to be very old, sturgeon happen to grow to be very large, as well. While they were released at just six inches long, these mammoth fish can grow to be up to seven feet in length and up to a whopping 200 pounds in weight.
Lake sturgeon in New York face major habitat degradation and overfishing issues (considering their popularity for their caviar), threatening their spawning populations. Through this project, the NYSDEC hopes to repopulate this crucial species in an effort to restore and maintain biodiversity as well as the general welfare of the Genesee River Watershed. So the next time you walk by the Genesee, you’ll know that you have these gargantuan, living fossils to thank for their role in maintaining the health of Rochester’s dearest river.
Written by Carole Wilay (’25)