An uptick in dead white sturgeon found in the Nechako River has the province asking the public to report any they may come across.
White sturgeon are listed under the Species at Risk Act as endangered and are known to grow up to six feet long and live for 100 years.
It is not uncommon to find dead adult sturgeon in the Lower Fraser in the summer, but 11 deaths reported in the Nechako River over the past week have scientists worried.
Lab-tested samples add more to the mystery, as they have not led scientists to believe the deaths were caused by disease, chemical exposure, or fishing, and no visible injuries were found.
Anyone who may come across a dead white sturgeon is asked to take a picture and send it to Nikolaus Gantner at 250 649 2876, or to this e-mail: Nikolaus.Gantner@gov.bc.ca.
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