Lake Sturgeon Population Restoration

Over the years, sturgeon populations have declined due to habitat degradation, dam construction, water quality problems, and possibly overexploitation. Wisconsin’s current lake sturgeon management guidelines call for the “restablishment of lake sturgeon in waters within their original range where there is a reasonable possibility of developing self-sustaining populations through natural reproduction”.

There are a number of ongoing restoration efforts involving lake sturgeon populations in Wisconsin:

Distribution of Lake Sturgeon Restoration Projects in Wisconsin.
KJS Graphic

1. St. Louis River
2. Yellow River/Yellow Lake complex
3. Upper Flambeau/Manitowish River system
4. Menominee River
5. Wolf River - Menominee Reservation Plan
6. Middle Wisconsin River - Castle Rock and Stevens Point flowages
7. Green Bay
8. Upper Fox River
9. Milwaukee River
10. Manitowoc River

For more information, please contact:

Karl Scheidegger, Fisheries Biologist
(608) 267-7498