DNR and MSU Release 500 Baby Sturgeon in Michigan River

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University recently released 500 sturgeon fingerlings in another river.

Michigan Lake Sturgeon

Lake sturgeon are native fish in the Great Lakes they look prehistoric and can grow to 6 feet long and weigh 100 pounds. Now that's what I call a whopper!

Lake Sturgeon live anywhere from 55 to 150 years with females living longer than males. If you have ever seen one in the water they are impressive.

Male sturgeon do not mature until they are between 12 and 17 years old. Females do not reach maturity until they are between 14 and 33. You can see why overfishing could quickly wipe out these majestic freshwater fish. This is why the DNR and MSU work together to do everything they can to protect the fish. At this time lake sturgeon are considered imperiled in Michigan where states like Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Vermont have them listed as endangered.

Read More: Just Over 9 Million More Fish to Catch in Mi Thanks to DNR 

DNR and MSU Release 500 Baby Sturgeon in Michigan River

Even a baby lake sturgeon looks pretty fierce but releasing them and putting fishing limits on them is key to keeping them from becoming extinct in Michigan.

The other thing that helps protect sturgeon is stocking them in lakes and rivers across Michigan. MSU and the DNR have worked on this project for over 20 years.

According to MSU Today, researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates head out each spring to catch newly hatched sturgeon. Collectively they gather yearlings under an inch or less and raise them at a hatchery until they are 7 inches or bigger to stock the lakes and rivers in Michigan.

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Recently the DNR and MSU released 500 yearling sturgeon into the Saginaw River system to help these fish continue to grow and to keep this fish from extinction. This process has helped double the number of sturgeon in Black Lake and continues to help other bodies of Michigan waters.