The Pugnose Shiner, which rarely exceeds 2 inches in length, is one of the rarest minnows found in North America. It is distinguished by its straw-colored back, silvery sides, white belly and small upturned mouth. The Pugnose Shiner lives in Lake Ontario and in the St. Lawrence River and is rarely glimpsed by humans due to the fishes small population.
The Spoonhead Sculpin is distinguished by its flat, triangular head, large mouth and pectoral fins, small eyes and preopercular spine. Instead of having smooth scales, the Spoonhead Sculpin's body bristles with yellow and olive-brown prickly scales. The Spoonhead Sculpin is generally 1.5 to 2.5 inches in length and can reach up to 5 inches. These deep water fish once thrived in Lake Ontario and Lake Eerie, but have dramatically dwindled in numbers.
The Deepwater Sculpin is the largest of Lake Ontario's sculpins and can grow up to 9 inches in length. The fish is distinguished by its long body, snout-like mouth and flat head. The Deepwater Sculpin dwells in Lake Ontario 240 to 300 feet beneath the lake's surface. The Deepwater Sculpin's decline is speculated to be caused by the rise of a competitor, rainbow smelt, which compete with the sculpin for food.
New York's largest freshwater fish, the Lake Sturgeon, can grow between 3 and 5 feet in length and up to 80 lbs. in weight. The sturgeon is characterized by its torpedo-shaped body and dull grey color. The decline in the sturgeon population is caused by overexploitation due to high demand for the sturgeon's caviar and smoked meat, the construction of dams that cut off access to spawning areas and pollution.
