Keith Lusher 07.25.26
A 6-foot-long lake sturgeon that lived for decades was dumped on the side of a road in western Michigan, prompting state wildlife officials to launch an investigation into poaching and asking the public for help identifying whoever illegally killed the protected fish.
The 71-inch lake sturgeon was discovered on Durham Road in Whitehall, Michigan, just south of the White River Reach. according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the fish was dumped sometime between midnight and 5:30 a.m. on July 17.
Investigators believe the sturgeon may have been caught illegally. Damage to its left gill plate suggests that it was trapped rather than legally caught. Officials also believe the fish was likely taken from the nearby White River, where fishing for lake sturgeon is prohibited.
While Michigan allows fishermen to harvest one lake sturgeon per season in a limited number of designated waters, the White River is not one of those places. Any sturgeon accidentally caught when targeting other species should be immediately released.
However, what makes this matter particularly troubling is the age and importance of the fish. According to the DNR, the nearly 6-foot-long lake sturgeon would have taken decades to grow before being illegally killed. The species matures slowly, with females taking up to 25 years to reproduce.
That slow life cycle is one reason the lake sturgeon has struggled to recover. Once abundant throughout the Great Lakes region, their numbers have declined due to overfishing and habitat loss. By the time Michigan listed the species as threatened in 1994, the population had fallen to about 1 percent of its historical level.
Since then, decades of habitat restoration, stocking programs, and strict fishing regulations have helped the species slowly recover in parts of the state. Although those efforts have yielded encouraging results, conservation officials say each mature fish remains critical to population recovery.
The lake sturgeon is one of North America’s longest-lived freshwater fish. Males can live over 50 years, while females are able to live from 80 to 150 years.
“Lake sturgeon is such an iconic species,” Michigan DNR conservation officer Anna Cullen said in a statement. “We hope this fish gets justice to help protect this important species. Maybe there is someone out there who can help us do that.”
The DNR is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Report all poaching to the hotline By calling or texting 800-292-7800. People who provide information leading to arrest and prosecution may be eligible for a cash reward.
Officials encouraged fishermen to immediately report any illegal harvesting or targeting of lake sturgeon, saying public cooperation is essential to protect one of the Great Lakes’ oldest and most vulnerable native fish.
keith lusher
Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist who lives in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthShoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoors column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St. Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshree.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report radio show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and is proud to promote the unique fisheries of South Louisiana. To contact Keith email: keithlusherjr@gmail.com
