New era opens for world’s largest lake sturgeon population, spearing opportunity

Deadline to buy 2007 sturgeon spearing license is Oct. 31

OSHKOSH – A new chapter in Wisconsin’s lake sturgeon management success story opens this winter with a new Lake Winnebago spearing season structure that is intended to keep the harvest of adult females at an acceptable level while continuing to allow anyone who wants to participate to do so.

Wisconsin’s century-old sturgeon management program and citizen commitment to the ancient species have enabled the Winnebago System to sustain the world’s largest lake sturgeon population, while continuing to offer a unique sturgeon spearing opportunity, says Ron Bruch, senior sturgeon biologist and Department of Natural Resources Oshkosh fisheries supervisor.

Under the new structure for the spearing season that opens Feb. 10, 2007, there will be separate, annual spearing seasons: one on Lake Winnebago and one on the system’s upriver lakes of Butte des Mort, Winnecone and Poygan. Previously the Upriver Season occurred only once every five years but was open to anyone who wanted to participate in it and bought a license.

People will get to participate in one or the other season: the Upriver Lakes season is controlled by a limited-entry drawing similar to that used to determine who gets permits to participate in the bear hunting season. Spearers not receiving a permit for the Upriver Lakes season can participate in the Lake Winnebago season if they buy a spearing license by Oct. 31, 2006.

“These changes will allow Wisconsin to continue preserving the Lake Winnebago system sturgeon population while maintaining a biologically sound open access fishery,” Bruch says.

The Winnebago System supports a naturally produced lake sturgeon population that is the largest within the lake sturgeon’s native range, estimated at 11,000 adult females and 25,000 adult males. It also allows Wisconsin to offer North America’s largest winter spear fishery, with an annual average harvest of 1,400 fish and annual economic impact of more than $3 million dollars to the Winnebago region.

DNR fisheries biologists and the Winnebago Citizens Sturgeon Advisory Committee developed the season changes in 2005, motivated by concerns over years of relatively high harvests capped by a 2004 season in which spearers exceeded the harvest cap for adult females by 61 percent, Bruch says.

High harvest of females is a concern because removing too many of them can cause the population to crash and recovery of this slow-growing, late maturing fish could take generations. Females do not reach sexual maturity until 20 to 25 years, and then spawn only once every three to five years.

Female fish tend to be larger, and spearers have been enjoying more success in targeting them in recent years as the increasing abundance of gizzard shad causes the lake sturgeon to congregate in the southern tip of Lake Winnebago. Improving water clarity, due in large part to a comprehensive management plan that’s restored fish habitat and reduced polluted runoff entering the Winnebago system, has also made it easier for spearers to get a fish. That success, in turn, is luring more spearers to participate.

Some changes on tap for spearers, but Oct. 31 deadline to buy spearing license remains

To accommodate growing recreational interest but protect the vulnerable fish, changes limit how many spearers can spear on the Upriver Lakes, where the spearer success rate is typically very high. Spearers who want to participate in the first annual Upriver Lakes season had to submit an application by Aug. 1. Using a computer program that randomly selected applicants, DNR conducted a drawing in early August.

Of the 2,972 people who applied, 500 lucky individuals received letters from DNR in August notifying them they had been selected and were authorized to buy an Upriver lake sturgeon spearing license, according to Dave Argall, a DNR customer service and licensing specialist. Applicants who weren’t successful in getting a permit each got a preference point, and will be given first consideration if they apply for a permit for the 2008 season. Those people can buy a sturgeon spearing license for Lake Winnebago and participate in the 2007 season on the lake.

Any person participating in any sturgeon spearing season needs to buy a spearing license by Oct. 31, 2006 for the appropriate season. It is important for successful applicants for the Upriver Lakes permits to note that if they choose not to buy a spearing license for the Upriver Season, they will not be able to buy a Lake Winnebago Sturgeon Spearing license.

Licenses for both seasons can be purchased: over the Internet through the DNR Web site; at any DNR Service Center; at automated license issuance system sales locations; or by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4236). The Upriver Lakes Sturgeon Spearing license is $20 for residents and $65 for nonresidents, an additional $3 handling fee will be charged for Internet and telephone sales.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: on sturgeon management contact Ron Bruch (920) 424-3059 or Karl Scheidegger (608) 267-9426; on sturgeon licenses and permits contact Dave Argall (608) 267-7699 or Diane Brookbank (608) 267-7799