LEON CAMPEAU stands next to a sturgeon he successfully speared last year.

Despite the mild winter weather conditions, ice conditions are decent heading into the 2012 Black Lake sturgeon season, which begins Saturday.

There are eight to 12 inches of ice, but anglers are using four-wheelers and snowmobiler to commute. There were some slushy spots that could have froze from Wednesday to Thursday with colder air.

“Overall, water clarity is good, yet some areas on the east side of the lake are cloudy,” said Brenda Archambo, Sturgeon for Tomorrow president. “There is a pressure crack from the lower Black River running south down the center of the lake.” Additionally, anglers should always avoid creeks, streams and rivers, Archambo advised.

All lake sturgeon anglers must register to participate in the lake sturgeon season. The registration process has changed this year. Anglers need to only register once for the entire season. An early registration will be conducted today (Friday) at the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Onaway Field Station along M-211 from noon to 8 p.m.

For those anglers unable to participate in the Friday registration, they may register during the actual season at the entrance to Onaway State Park or on the northwest shore of Black Lake at Zolner Road near Black River Road.. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. each day of the season. Anglers are encouraged to register on Friday.

Similar to 2011, the 2012 allocation is seven fish. However, in 2011 the total recreational harvest of lake sturgeon from Black Lake was 11. To ensure the 2012 allocation is not exceeded, officials will begin to close the lake sturgeon season under the following scenarios: immediately following the harvest of the second fish, or if, at the end of a day's fishing, one fish has been harvested.

From 2000 to 2009 the DNR established a daily lottery-quota system for the Black Lake sturgeon fishery, limiting the number of anglers to 25 anglers per day for a five fish season quota. During this decade there were 39 fish harvested out 50 allowable under the quota system.

Sturgeon For Tomorrow and the DNR, with input from anglers, were confident that more angler participation in the fishery could be managed.

“In 2010 an unlimited entry system for state anglers was initiated,” said Archambo. “Angler’s response to the unlimited entry was tremendously positive, and the quota was met after one and a half days. “Likewise, in 2010 the state and the five tribes of the 1836 Inland Consent Decree developed an allocation process whereby a total allocation from Black Lake was set at 14 sturgeon.”

The total allocation (1.2 percent of spawning adults) for Black Lake sturgeon was 14. State anglers were allocated seven, and the tribes were allocated seven, a 50-50 split. During the 2011 Black Lake sturgeon season, state anglers harvested 11 sturgeon, exceeding the state's allocation by four fish.

Sturgeon For Tomorrow have met with the DNR since last year to develop the best strategies, tactics and safeguards going forward to ensure harvest levels remain within allocation. A new harvest regulation model has been developed which will allow for maintaining the unlimited entry fishery.

“This model will ensure long-term harvest numbers remain at or below allocation levels,” said Archambo. “This may result in variable harvest numbers over the years, but safeguards are in place to ensure long-term population sustainability, and that the sturgeon harvest will be within target levels.

“Together with many more people on the ice to notify anglers quickly of the ending of the harvest season, this long standing tradition will be around for future generations.” Also new this year, anglers need an all-species fishing license.

Anglers that harvest a lake sturgeon must at once tag the fish, and immediately contact an on-ice DNR employee or register the fish at the DNR Onaway Field Office.

Fishing runs daily from 8am to noon until quota is met.