Status of Lake Sturgeon Restoration in the Namekagon River, Wisconsin, USA

Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens access to habitat upstream of the Trego Dam on the Namekagon River, Wisconsin, USA was eliminated when dam operations began in 1927.  A restoration plan developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was implemented beginning in 1993.  Restoration tactics include stocking hatchery-reared lake sturgeon from a genetically appropriate source above the dam and protecting stocked fish from harvest with a closed lake sturgeon fishing season in the Trego Flowage and the Namekagon River upstream from the flowage.  Thirty four lake sturgeon were observed or captured upstream from the Trego Dam during 2006 – 2013.  We collected 28 lake sturgeon in the Trego Flowage and 6 from the Flowage to approximately 32 km upstream.  Captured lake sturgeon originated from 6 year classes and ranged from 32 to 112 cm total length.  The restoration plan recommends maintaining the closed fishing season and stocking lake sturgeon until a self-sustaining population is established above the dam.  In addition, DNR Fish Management staff is considering fish passage options at the Trego Dam to allow upstream passage of naturally recruited fish.