Sturgeon guards needed to protect Black River spawning sites
CHEBOYGAN COUNTY — As mature lake sturgeon prepare to head upstream to their spawning sites along the Black River, they are also potentially swimming into danger.
To help guard against poaching threats and to monitor the sturgeon population, the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and various tribes, are seeking volunteers to take part in the annual Sturgeon Guarding Program.
The program is designed to protect the sturgeon from illegal harvest during their six-week spawning season, which lasts from now through early June.
“This program, that protects this iconic species when they are most vulnerable, is a model of how agencies and the public can cooperate to get work accomplished,” said Sgt. Mike Mshar, who leads the DNR Law Enforcement Division’s efforts on the river, in a press release.
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Volunteers are assigned shifts along the river to stand watch and report any suspicious activity to DNR conservation officers who will be patrolling the area. The program also uses aerial surveillance for additional monitoring.
In past years, volunteers have included anyone from environmental advocates to local residents to nature photographers and even Boy Scout troops.
More: The shivaree must go on: Black Lake Sturgeon Shivaree continues despite canceled season
“For over 20 years, the annual Sturgeon Guarding Program has proven that people serving as sturgeon guards watching over the river have virtually eliminated poaching, while helping to ensure the protection and reproductive success of the species,” said Mary Paulson, the program’s volunteer coordinator, in a statement. “It’s a unique and rewarding experience to witness these majestic fish swimming up the Black River, and to be a key player in safeguarding one of Michigan’s most valuable natural resources.”
While volunteers will be assigned sites to stand guard, there will be on-site coordinators at the river to assist and answer questions. Additionally, volunteers are asked to assist in recording the number of fish that are active in the area.
The lake sturgeon, which can weigh up to 200 pounds and live to be 100 years old, is listed as a threatened species in Michigan, and any sport fishing is closely regulated.
Each year, only six sturgeon are allowed to be harvested from Black Lake. The season, which in some years only lasts for a few hours, was canceled this winter due to unsafe ice conditions.
Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should contact Jim and Mary Paulson at (989) 763-7568. Volunteers can also register online.
More information, including camping incentives can be found at sturgeonfortomorrow.org/guarding-program.php.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Sturgeon guards needed to protect Black River spawning sites
