Workshop Goal and Objective and Charge to Participants

Goal—The primary goal of the workshop is to identify and prioritize research needs that, once met, could improve management of the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the Missouri River. 

Objective—The intent of the workshop is to obtain input from sturgeon experts to understand critical ecological and other factors that influence pallid sturgeon in the Missouri River and how those factors are affected by river operations and management.  Research needs should reflect an adaptive framework to address potential management experiments within both a two-year and a longer-term time frame.

Charge—The main task of the workshop participants is to work collaboratively to create and agree on a draft prioritized list of major research needs associated with pallid sturgeon in the Missouri River.

Workshop Background and Organization

The pallid sturgeon is a critically endangered fish throughout the Missouri River (see U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2003 Amended Biological Opinion for summary: http://www.fws.gov/feature/Mo_river.html). Recent actions between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) have resulted in the COE agreeing to fund the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) and their partners to conduct focused research on the pallid sturgeon and, as deemed necessary, the closely related shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus).  The broad research objective is “to understand critical ecological factors that influence pallid sturgeon in the Missouri River and how these factors are affected by river operations and management.”  The collaborating federal agencies (USGS, FWS, COE, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) are committed to implementing a process to establish research priorities for pallid sturgeon within an adaptive management framework aimed at reducing the uncertainty surrounding pallid sturgeon ecology and management.  To assist this process, they will host an unbiased effort where individuals with expertise in research and management of sturgeons can definitively articulate research needs and prioritize them.  This will be accomplished through a facilitated workshop to include 35-40 professional fisheries biologists, fish culturists, river ecologists, physical scientists, and invited scientists with expertise on other sturgeon species.  An announcement about the workshop has been sent to stakeholder groups and individuals who may attend and observe the workshop, and offer comments at specified times on the agenda.  In addition, a public information exchange will be held on the morning of Thursday, May 20^th with more extensive time for stakeholder questions and comments.
 

The draft report will be reviewed by workshop participants and available for both stakeholder review and formal peer review by outside scientific and technical experts who were not affiliated with the workshop.  The final product will result in a prioritized research strategy aimed at influencing management of the Missouri River to benefit pallid sturgeon.  The University of Wyoming’s William D. Ruckelshaus Institute of Environmental Resources will conduct the workshop and prepare the final proceedings, which will be modeled after that published by the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust.

The workshop is being organized and convened by an interagency Pallid Sturgeon Workshop Steering Committee.  Committee members include:

• Jim Berkley, Environmental Protection Agency;
• David Galat, U.S. Geological Survey;
• Steven Krentz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
• Carl Korschgen, U.S. Geological Survey;
• Doug Latka, Army Corp of Engineers;
• Mike Oetker, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
• Mike Olson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and
• Charlie Scott, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

The workshop will be arranged around breakout sessions focused on major issues associated with pallid sturgeon biology and management in the Missouri River.  Participants will be assigned to breakout groups according to their expertise and interest.  The collaborative group of experts will reconvene in plenary sessions after breakout discussions to refine and prioritize a draft list of research gaps and needs associated with pallid sturgeon management.