Sturgeon gather to spawn along the Wolf River in Shawano, April 15, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
LAKE WINNEBAGO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The lake sturgeon population is thriving and needs no protection, that’s according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The federal agency announced, nearly four years after the Center of Biological Diversity filed a petition asking for the prehistoric fish to be listed as endangered or threatened, it won’t be listing the fish at all.
Even though sturgeon spearing is more than 10 months away, the news the pre-historic fish can still be harvested, is a relief for those who spear every winter.
“Sturgeon fishing has been a tradition in many families and now that tradition can continue,” said Glen Mattern with the Sturgeon Guard.
The tradition, however, was in jeopardy. The Center for Biological Diversity, an environmentalist group from Arizona, tried to claim the population was deteriorating, after being overharvested.
State and federal lawmakers, as well as local fishing clubs and spearers disputed those claims, pointing to the DNR’s management of the population — that includes harvest caps in the winter and the monitoring and tagging of fish during spawning, which just happened last week.
According Darryl Lehman, with Paynes Point Hook & Spear Fishing Club, “Wisconsin’s sturgeon population and management practices have been pretty well documented and I think that’s the big reason why we had this decision today.”
“A lot of other states come to look at, watch the sturgeon. We give them eggs and they bring an incubator up here and they’re starting the sturgeon in Tennessee. So, it’s a good program,” added Don Herman. He owns The Fountain Tavern and Sunk? Dive and Ice Service in Oshkosh.
But sturgeon spearing and this federal decision isn’t just about the fish.
Herman said, “Economic-wise, the bars, everything, guys that make the shanties, guys that make the spears, hotels, people come from around the world to do this. It’s amazing that they finally figured out that this population here is super, it’s the best in the world.”
The spearing season brings millions of dollars to the region. It helps to fund the fishing clubs around the lake that contribute to other outdoor activities too.
“With all the fishing clubs on the lake, if sturgeon were removed and we didn’t have spearing season that I don’t think any of these club, they would have a hard time continuing to exist without spearing. That effects all sorts of people on the lake, the ice fisherman, hikers, bikers and there’s lots of people that take advantage of what these clubs do,” added Lehman.
And with the decision to keep the sturgeon off the endangered or threatened list, the fishing clubs, spearers and everyone and business impacted by the sturgeon population can keep doing what they’re doing; as the annual tradition isn’t going anywhere.
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