Spearers must purchase Winnebago sturgeon license by Oct. 31

OSHKOSH, Wis. -- Sturgeon spearers who want to participate in the 2009 Lake Winnebago system sturgeon spearing season need to purchase their sturgeon spearing license before the Friday, Oct. 31 sales deadline. That is the last day sturgeon spearing licenses will be sold for Lake Winnebago and the three Upriver Lakes -- Buttes des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan seasons.

Licenses are $20 for residents and $65 for non-residents and can be purchased: over the Internet through the Online Licensing Center; by calling toll-free 1-877-WI LICENSE (1-877-945-4236); at license sales locations; or DNR service centers during their regular business hours (check service center link for hours of operation, which vary by service center; service centers are closed Saturdays). The 2009 sturgeon spearing season opens on Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes on Saturday Feb. 14.

The minimum spearing age for spearing is 14. Youth who turn 14 between Nov. 1, 2008 and the last day of the 2009 spearing season can still purchase a spearing license after Oct. 31. Military personnel home on leave can also purchase a license after Oct. 31.

The number of licenses sold is not limited on Lake Winnebago, but is limited to 500 for the Upriver Lakes fishery. The Upriver Lakes fishery is managed through a lottery and 500 individuals out of 4,031 who submitted a lottery application prior to Aug. 1, 2008 were authorized to purchase an Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing license for the 2009 season. Once a person is authorized to purchase an Upriver Lakes license for a season, they are not able to purchase a license for Lake Winnebago. Those who applied for an Upriver Lakes license in the lottery, but were not authorized, received a preference point and can still buy a Lake Winnebago license prior to Oct. 31.

There were 9,374 licenses sold for the 2008 sturgeon spearing season. Of those, 8,898 were for Lake Winnebago and 476 for the Upriver Lakes.

The Lake Winnebago System is home to the largest lake sturgeon population in North America with current estimates at approximately 38,000 adult fish. The long standing traditional means of harvest is spearing through the ice.

The lake sturgeon program on the Winnebago System has been in place for more than 100 years and is considered an international model for effective sturgeon management.

An integral part of the program since 1977 has been active involvement of the unique citizen advocacy group, Sturgeon for Tomorrow. That organization has raised and donated nearly $750,000 to sturgeon management and research activities over the past 30 years. Sturgeon for Tomorrow funds the annual sturgeon guard program which protects spawning sturgeon each spring on the Wolf River and the Upper Fox River Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Project. The latter project is attempting to restore a healthy spawning population in the upper Fox through stocking, habitat development, and migration studies.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Bruch, DNR Winnebago Sturgeon Biologist, 920-424-3059

About the picture: A lake sturgeon makes its journey up the Wolf River on a sunny, April day.WDNR Photo