Lake sturgeon are being accidentally caught in Michigan, leading to DNR reminder about protected species
Lake sturgeon are being accidentally caught in Michigan, leading to DNR reminder about protected species
Some accidental catches by Michigan anglers have led to a reminder from the state about what to do if one catches a sturgeon: let it go.
(FOX 2) - Some accidental catches by Michigan anglers have led to a reminder from the state about what to do if one catches a sturgeon: let it go.
An advisory put out by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources asks fishermen to avoid targeting any sturgeon while they have their lines out - and if they do hook one of the protected fish, to release it immediately.
Big picture view:
This year has been a boon for ice fishing and anglers have had success during the winter harvesting walleye and other species.
However, with some habitats for trout species like Steelhead overlapping with sturgeon, there have been reports of anglers accidentally catching the protected species.
Lake sturgeon are a protected fish species in the Great Lakes and the focus of annual stocking efforts to help increase their populations. As the DNR works with federal agencies and indigenous tribes around Michigan to rehabilitate the fish, anglers are restricted from pursuing them.
Anglers are only permitted to harvest sturgeon from four water sources: Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River from July 16 - Sept. 30, Otsego Lake from July 16 - March 15, Menominee River in September, and Black Lake during the first Saturday in February.
Other water sources where sturgeon can be caught but must be released back into the water include: the Detroit River, St. Mary's River, Portage and Torch Lakes, and the Ontonagon River.
Anglers can target and harvest lake sturgeon in Michigan only in designated waters during designated seasons. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.)
Dig deeper:
However, sturgeon are sometimes accidentally caught in other water bodies, including Saginaw Bay, the Saginaw River, Kalamazoo River, the Grand River, Muskegon Lake, the Muskegon River, Manistee Lake, and the Mainstee River.
"It's apparently fairly easy to do," said Ed Baker, the manager at the Marquette Fisheries Research Station. "We and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, who manage the Manistee River, have been getting reports of anglers catching sturgeon."
Part of the reason is that Steelhead trout's habitat in the Manistee River overlaps with sturgeon spawning areas.
If an angler does accidentally catch a sturgeon, the DNR asks it be released immediately or risk harming the fish.
"We know that encountering a fish as iconic as the lake sturgeon is a memorable moment for most anglers, but even the time you take to snap a photo can be extremely detrimental to the fish’s health and survival," said Jeffrey Jolley, Southern Lake Huron unit manager at the DNR.
The rules for fishing sturgeon can be found on page 15 of the DNR's fishing regulations.
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What you can do:
Anyone that does legally harvest a sturgeon is required to report within 24 hours.
That can be done either online at Michigan.gov/RegisterFish or by phone at 888-636-7778.
Anglers can also report catch and release of lake sturgeon using the lake sturgeon form at Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField.
The Source: Information from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources was used for this story.