North Michigan News

State Rep. Cam Cavitt applauded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision not to label lake sturgeon as an endangered species, stating, "Michigan is the national leader in lake sturgeon preservation. It’s great to see the feds recognize our world-class efforts and throw out this bogus attempt to ban lake sturgeon fishing nationwide." Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, emphasized the significance of sturgeon fishing in northern Michigan, noting, "Sturgeon fishing season is basically a holiday in northern Michigan. We teach our kids about the importance of preserving sturgeon populations so we can continue to celebrate the unique fishing season each year."

The decision to protect sturgeon fishing comes after the FWS conducted a year-long investigation and concluded that lake sturgeon management efforts are effective in conserving and enhancing the species' resilience. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been actively involved in preserving sturgeon populations for over two decades, with 33,416 juvenile lake sturgeon stocked into the Cheboygan River drainage via the Black Lake sturgeon facility since 2003.

Black Lake in Cheboygan County is one of the two locations in the U.S. where sturgeon spearing is allowed, the other being Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. The sturgeon season on Black Lake is closely regulated by the DNR, which determines the annual harvest limit. Once the limit is reached, all sturgeon fishing activities cease. Despite the cancellation of the 2024 season due to safety concerns arising from insufficient ice on the lake, the 2023 season lasted a mere 65 minutes, while the 2022 season concluded in just 36 minutes.