Photo: Naturalist Observation, c. 1912.
Species

White Sturgeon

North America's largest freshwater fish (Acipenser transmontanus) — a prehistoric giant of the Pacific coast from the Gulf of Alaska to central California. In Canada it lives only in British Columbia, in the Fraser, Columbia, Kootenay and Nechako systems. Four of those populations are listed Endangered under Canada's Species at Risk Act, their natural recruitment broken by dam operations; sport targeting is closed on the region's protected populations.

Key points

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Identity: North America's largest freshwater fish, capable of growing over 6 meters and living for more than a century.
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Range: Pacific coast of North America from the Gulf of Alaska to central California; in Canada, only BC — the kootenay river, columbia river, Fraser and Nechako systems (source). Historically migrated throughout the kootenay lake, kootenay river and columbia river corridors explorecrestonvalley posts 2026 06.
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Status (national): The Upper Fraser, Upper Columbia, Upper Kootenay and Nechako River populations are listed Endangered under Schedule 1 of Canada's Species at Risk Act (2006), and COSEWIC assesses the upper populations as endangered (SARA registry). Dam construction altered river hydrology, flows and temperatures, breaking natural spawning and egg survival.
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Recovery Efforts: Managed under active conservation hatcheries (e.g., Kootenay Trout Hatchery) that spawn wild fish and release juveniles to maintain the population.

Fishing by region

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Regulations, seasons, and the waters to target vary by region — in the Kootenays, see Beyond Trout in the Kootenays.

Open questions

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Spawning habitat restoration projects and their long-term viability in restoring wild recruitment. #open

Related

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kootenay river — historical spawning habitat.
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kootenay lake — historical range.
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freshwater fisheries society bc — runs conservation hatchery programs.

Sources

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Explore Creston Valley posts — historical notes.
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Wikipedia — White sturgeon — coastal range and BC river systems.
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Environment Canada — White Sturgeon action plan summary — SARA Schedule 1 Endangered listing for the four populations.
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