River Relief

June 6, 2011

June 14 Big Muddy Speaker Series

"Stocking Up On Sturgeon"

US Fish & Wildlife Service biologist Tracy Hill joins us for a peek into the multi-state breeding and restocking effort to strengthen Missouri River populations of the endangered pallid sturgeon.

7:00 p.m. - Tues. June 14, 2011
lower floor of the
Les Bourgeois Vineyards Bistro
in Rocheport, MO
(directions below)
Presentation is FREE!
Come early to purchase a great dinner upstairs at the Bistro!

Join us for our monthly Big Muddy Speaker Series at the Les Bourgeois Bistro.

The pallid sturgeon has become a living symbol of the old, natural Missouri River struggling to survive in the new river we've created. This odd looking, prehistoric fish only lives in the Missouri River and the Mississippi River below St. Louis. It's uniquely adapted to the intense environment of this turbid, sandy and free-flowing river.

Channelization, loss of sediment and damming of the Missouri River have all impacted the spawning ability of the sturgeon and the survival of its young. As biologists study the habitat needs of this fish and engineers attempt to recreate this habitat on our channelized river, emergency measures have been taken to restock hatchery raised sturgeon throughout the Missouri River basin.

USFWS biologist Tracy Hill will join us for a peek into the extremely difficult process of tracking and catching breeding age sturgeon, spawning them in the hatchery and reintroducing the young fish to the wild Missouri River. It takes the cooperation of several state and federal agencies and a trial and error learning curve that continues to improve.

Directions

• Take I-70 to the Rocheport, MO, exit (Exit #115). It's the first exit east of the Missouri River.
• Head north toward Rocheport.
• After about a mile, turn left at the sign for Les Bourgeois Bistro. Follow the signs to the Bistro. You will probably need to park in the lot above the Bistro and walk the trail down.
• The presentations are held in the lower level. You can either enter at the restaurant entrance then go down the stairs to your left past the bar, or you can follow the walk to the right of the restaurant and enter through a glass door into the lower level.
  
• 14020 W. Hwy BB, Rocheport, MO (click for Google Map)