Sturgeon spearing season ends quickly on Black Lake
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) reported it took just 30 minutes into the second day of the season for anglers to complete the harvest of the five sturgeon quota from Black Lake. Spear fishermen took four fish during the first six-hour day of fishing.
This year, the DNRE worked with Sturgeon for Tomorrow to change the registration procedure, allowing open access to spearing instead of issuing a limited number of permits by lottery. DNRE personnel registered 255 anglers for Saturday’s opener and 169 on Sunday.
Successful anglers were required to register their fish immediately with the DNRE. The season was closed – and anglers still on the ice were notified – when the fifth fish was taken Sunday morning.
The sturgeon taken ranged from 28 pounds to a 104-pound, 75-inch specimen. Four of the fish had previously been captured by DNRE and Michigan State University netting crews and marked with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags.
?The season worked out very well,? said DNRE fisheries biologist Tim Cwalinski. ?We were able to allow a lot more participation and still protect the sturgeon population. We received nothing but positive comments from the public and we appreciate the efforts of Sturgeon for Tomorrow.?