The condition of the local environment also is something that can be drawn from studies like these.
“Sturgeon, like many species, give an indication of the overall health of the ecosystem,” Saunders said. “Because if the sturgeon population is not healthy, then that might be an indication that there’s other things wrong in the environment.”
The provincial funding also means economic opportunities for the region.
“As you know, the economic situation in Ontario’s northwest is looking pretty dim right now, and so it’s very important to us that we encourage economic prosperity by providing jobs,” Saunders stressed.