One of the highlights of a Rapid Growth event hosted a few years ago at the Grand Rapids Public Museum was from the folks behind restoring the natural flow of the Grand River’s rapids that ironically run rather placidly through downtown Grand Rapids.
At this meeting, it was revealed that before man tamed the river for commerce purposes with a series of diversion channels and a dam, the mighty sturgeon would sound its mating call along the shelf that exists on the east bank near the North Monroe neighborhood.
And while the thought of a loud group of fish with a lineage reaching back to the Early Jurassic Period suddenly turning the riverfront into a Motel Six for bachelor fish produced many a smirk on the faces of those gathered, what was exciting was to learn once a river is restored, the population of sturgeon often begin to return as they reclaim their home within just a few weeks.
Grand Fish, Grand River presents a culturally rich experience for patrons to explore the lake sturgeon — a once in abundance fish of our waterways, but now a threatened species. This exhibition takes us through the history of this mighty fish through the eyes of Native Americans, the fishing history of our region and the current science being used to track them. There will even be two live 10 month old Lake Sturgeons for guests to view.
The exhibition is opening in conjunction with the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference taking place at the Amway Grand Hotel this same weekend, and on Saturday only, Nancy Auer, author of the “The Great Lake Sturgeon,” will be welcoming guests from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Fun fact: out of all the Great Lakes, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has identified within Lake Michigan 11 of the 24 lake sturgeon populations as distinguished by major watersheds to be from Lake Michigan waters. (The largest diversity of all the bodies of lakes.)
Can I get a high five, my fin fans? We’re Number One!
Admission: Free with paid general admission.
Adults: $8 / Seniors: $7 (62 and older) / Children: $3 (3-17) / Children 2 and under are Free / Members: Free
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