Saugatuck Brewing Co. to use beer to help Michigan lake sturgeon
A lake sturgeon fish. (Image: USFWS)
SAUGATUCK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Saugatuck Brewing Co. (SBC) is again using one of its brews to help Michigan wildlife.
The southwest Michigan brewery is launching the Lake Street Light x Lake Sturgeon Program in April. This collaboration with the state Department of Natural Resources is focused on raising awareness and supporting the conservation of lake sturgeon.
Local perspective:
"Lake Street Light is more than just a beer—it's a nod to Michigan's wild heart," said Sara Van Splinter, the director of marketing at Saugatuck Brewing Co. "These shores, our 'Lake Street,' are home to countless species, and we’re proud to help protect one of them: the lake sturgeon, living fossils that have swum since the time of dinosaurs. This partnership with the Michigan DNR allows us to give back to the waters we love while sharing the story of these remarkable creatures."
According to the DNR, a portion of all sales from SBC's new beer, Lake Street Light, will be donated to the DNR to support its lake sturgeon conservation efforts. These fish are critical to ecosystems, but their population has declined due to habitat loss, pollution, and overfishing.
Lake sturgeon are being accidentally caught in Michigan, leading to DNR reminder about protected species
Anyone that accidentally catches the protected species should release them immediately, the DNR says.
"To say that lake sturgeon are a major part of Michigan’s aquatic history doesn’t quite do them justice," said Patrick Ertel, with the Habitat Management Unit of the DNR’s Fisheries Division. "These fish have been around for more than 100 million years, which may be hard to even comprehend. In terms of more recent generations, there are individual sturgeon in our waters today that are older than anyone reading about this partnership."
The brewery also wants to extend this program to other Great Lake states in an effort to help lake sturgeon across the region.
Dig deeper:
Last year, SBC partnered with the DNR to use its Rainbow Rodeo IPA to raise money for fish and wildlife habitat restoration in Michigan.
In about five months, $10,000 was raised through that initiative.
"Working alongside the Michigan DNR was an incredible experience and a true team effort," said John Miller, CEO of Saugatuck Brewing Company. "Together, we raised not only funds but also awareness about the importance of protecting Michigan’s natural habitats."
The Source: A press release from the Michigan DNR was used to report this story.