Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Sturgeon Management
on Minnesota-Canada Border Waters
Why is the DNR proposing additional restrictions on lake sturgeon
harvest?
Sturgeons are the focus of intense conservation efforts around the world
because of precipitous declines in abundance. Numerous sturgeon species and
stocks are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species
Act, and more are listed as vulnerable or species of special concern by State and
Provincial agencies in the United States and Canada. Lake sturgeon is listed as
a species of special concern in Minnesota.
Due to increasing angler interest, fishing pressure, and harvest, the changes
implemented in 2001 have not kept sturgeon harvest within safe levels. The
DNR has set a target harvest of 7,600 pounds from the Minnesota waters of Lake
of the Woods/Rainy River to continue the recovery of sturgeon stocks. The total
estimated annual harvest during the last three years under the current regulation
was 13,077 pounds. Anglers harvested approximately 16,000 pounds of
sturgeon in 2003 during the two-week spring season alone. Total harvest for the
year could approach 20,000 pounds. Although sturgeon stocks in the Lake of the
Woods/Rainy River system have improved greatly, continued harvests at this
level could jeopardize the recovery and long-term health of this population.
The DNR has a responsibility to continue to provide a quality angling experience
without jeopardizing the recovery and long-term health of lake sturgeon stocks in
the border waters area.
What is the status of lake sturgeon stocks in the border waters area?
Lake sturgeon stocks in Minnesota-Ontario border waters are recovering from
decades of low abundance due to over harvest and habitat degradation, such as
water pollution and the effects of dams. DNR monitoring indicates that lake
sturgeon stocks in Lake of the Woods and Rainy River have improved steadily in
the past 20 years. Overall abundance has increased, recruitment (natural
reproduction) has improved and there are more sexually mature female fish in
the population. In spite of these improvements, lake sturgeon populations are at
least twenty years from recovery. More old fish are needed to in the population
to provide stability. Eventually as the mean age increases, lake sturgeon
populations will be able to support more harvest. This is still a relatively young
population, with few fish greater than 55 inches in length. Female lake sturgeon
do not reach sexual maturity until they are 26 years old and approximately 57
inches in length. Female lake sturgeon spawn only once every four to nine
years. The Lake of the Woods/Rainy River populations have very few fish older
than 40 years of age. Lake sturgeon in these waters have the potential to
exceed 100 years of age. The figure below provides a direct comparison with a
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Percent Frequency
healthy lake sturgeon population in Wisconsin. Given the opportunity to live long
enough, lake sturgeon in Lake of the Woods/Rainy River should be able to
achieve similar lengths.
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
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Lake Sturgeon Length Frequencies
Lake Winnebago (1991-1996)
Lake of the Woods (1997-2002)
Lake Winnebago
Lake of the Woods
44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80
Length Interval
Efforts to determine stock status in Rainy Lake are underway through a
cooperative research project between Minnesota DNR, Ontario MNR, and U.S.
Geological Survey. Forty-one lake sturgeon have been fitted with radio
transmitters to identify spawning sites and determine movements. These fish will
be monitored for the next two years. Index netting will also be used to determine
relative abundance, age structure, growth rates, and movements. All fish
captured will be marked with external, individually numbered tags. The results of
this study will provide valuable information about the current status of lake
sturgeon in Rainy Lake.
Plans are being developed to do a similar study on Namakan and Sand Point
Lakes. Little is known about the current status of lake sturgeon in those waters.
Both lakes supported a small commercial harvest (900 pounds and 400 pounds
respectively) through 2001. The commercial harvest in these waters was near
the estimated potential yield and has been discontinued.
Why did the DNR transfer lake sturgeon from the Rainy River to the Red
River system if sturgeon stocks have not fully recovered?
The DNR has a responsibility to protect and manage Minnesota’s fisheries
resources for their intrinsic values and long-term benefits to all the people of
Minnesota. Re-establishing a self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the
Red River system is part of a comprehensive plan to restore a species that was
once abundant in the Red River, it’s tributaries, and many lakes in the Red River
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Watershed. The Rainy River/Lake of the Woods lake sturgeon population was
identified as the preferred strain for restoration efforts in the Red River because
of their genetic lineage to the Hudson Bay Drainage. Given the steady
improvement of lake sturgeon stocks in the Lake of the Woods/Rainy River
system, the DNR felt they could transfer sub-adult lake sturgeon to the Red River
system without affecting the recovery of the Lake of the Woods/Rainy River
stocks.
How many sturgeon were transferred to Red River system and is the DNR
planning to do any more transfers?
Three hundred and seventy-eight sub-adult lake sturgeon were transferred to the
Red River System (670 pounds in 1997 and 753 pounds in 1998, for a total of
1,423 pounds). This represents less than 10 percent of the estimated angler
harvest in those years. The DNR discontinued the relocation program when
harvests on the Lake of the Woods/Rainy River exceeded targets. The DNR’s
Red River Lake Sturgeon Recovery plan is to use hatchery-reared fish to restore
the Red River system. No more additional transfers of juvenile lake sturgeon
from the Lake of the Woods/Rainy River system are planned. During the next
twenty years, fry and fingerling lake sturgeon will be stocked through cooperative
efforts of the MN DNR, USFWS, White Earth Indian Band, Rainy River First
Nations, and private sector hatchery growers. In addition, Approximately 3,800
one-year old lake sturgeon were obtained from Rainy River First Nations
Hatchery near Emo, Ontario in 2002 for stocking in the Red River System.
How many sturgeon are being harvested in Ontario waters?
Ontario bought out its commercial fishery on Lake of the Woods in 1995,
eliminating 10,000 pounds of annual harvest from their waters. Rainy River First
Nations holds the one remaining commercial license, which is under a selfimposed moratorium. The Rainy River First Nations subsistence harvest is
estimated at 1,500 pounds annually. There is very little sport harvest of lake
sturgeon in Ontario waters, due in part to a larger legal minimum size limit (45
inch minimum, measured from the gill opening to the posterior edge of the dorsal
fin, or approximately 65 inches total length). Presently, there are very few fish of
this size in the population.
A small commercial fishery on the Ontario side of Namakan and Sand Point
lakes was bought out in 2002. There is a small subsistence fishery in Rainy,
Namakan, and Sand Point lakes.
How much lake sturgeon can safely be harvested from Lake of the
Woods/Rainy River on a long-term basis and how did the DNR develop its
targets?
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The long-term sustainable or “potential yield” was estimated by studying lake
sturgeon populations exposed to commercial and sport fishing in the United
States and Canada, including the Great Lakes and Lake of the Woods. In all
cases, maximum yields occurred for only one year, after which they declined very
rapidly. Following the peak yield, the long-term yield dropped to 0.036 pounds
per acre (0.04 kg/ha). Biologists believe this represents a threshold level that
should not be exceeded. Multiplying the acres of available habitat within
Minnesota’s portion of Lake of the Woods and Rainy River by this estimator
results in a “potential yield” of 11,490 pounds. Fisheries Biologists from
Minnesota and Ontario have recommended a target harvest level of 0.02 pounds
per acre (0.025 kg/ha) to promote recovery of lake sturgeon stocks in the border
waters area. Using the surface area of the available habitat within Minnesota’s
portion of Lake of the Woods/Rainy River results in a target harvest of 7,600
pounds.
What is the history of sturgeon regulations on Minnesota-Ontario border
waters?
1952- Possession limit is one. Minimum size is 40 inches. The open season ran
from July 1 through May 31.
1954- Minimum length limit was dropped.
1978- 45 inch minimum size limit was implemented. The open season was from
July 1 through May 15.
1987- The season opener was changed to June 30.
2001- Possession limit was reduced to one per license year. All fish less than 45
inches or greater than 55 inches must be immediately released. The open
season was shortened to July 1 through April 30.
What is the current lake sturgeon regulation?
For Minnesota anglers in the Minnesota/Ontario border waters the daily and
possession limit is one fish per license year. All lake sturgeon less than 45 and
greater than 55 inches must be returned to the water immediately. The season is
closed from May 1 to June 30.
Haven’t the current regulations reduced the harvest?
The changes implemented in 2001 have not been enough to keep sturgeon
harvest within safe (sustainable) levels. In just two weeks in the spring of 2003
(April 15 to April 30), anglers exerted 13,869 hours of effort fishing for lake
sturgeon, and harvested an estimated 15,211 pounds. Total harvest for the year
will likely approach 20,000 pounds when early spring, summer, and fall harvest is
included. The total estimated annual harvest during the last three years under
the current regulation was 13,077 pounds. The average harvest in the early
1990’s was 3,000 pounds. Angling pressure is similar to levels observed prior to
the regulation change in spite of the shortened season. Good catch rates, early
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springs and the chance to catch one of the largest freshwater fish in North
America has attracted many new sturgeon anglers.
What is the current proposal?
The proposal includes a spring harvest season from April 24 to May 7 and a
summer harvest season from July 1 – August 31. The season would be closed
from May 8 to June 30 to protect spawning fish. Anglers would still be allowed to
practice catch and release fishing for sturgeon the remainder of the year. The
harvest slot size would be reduced to 45 to 50 inches (all sturgeon less than 45
inches or greater than 50 inches must be returned to the water immediately). A
provision to allow harvest of sturgeon over 75 inches (total length) is also under
consideration to allow anglers to harvest a state record fish. If a fish over 75
inches were documented, the “one over” size would be increased. Comments
will also be sought on a license signature requirement (when a sturgeon is
harvested) and development of a registration system. The possession limit
would remain at one fish per license year.
This regulation would apply to all Minnesota-Ontario border waters.
How did the DNR develop this proposal?
In the spring of 2003, the DNR commissioned a 12-person work group to explore
alternatives and develop a regulation proposal that would reduce sturgeon
harvest to the target level of 7,600 pounds and be acceptable to anglers. The
work group included three DNR staff (Mike Larson, Dave Rorem, Kevin
Peterson) and was facilitated by Don Buckhout of the DNR Office of
Management and Budget Services. The other nine members of the committee
represented the Lake of the Woods and Koochiching County Boards, the Rainy
Lake Sportfishing Club, the Baudette Area Chamber of Commerce and
unaffiliated sturgeon anglers. Although the group did not reach consensus on a
new regulation proposal, several areas of agreement were identified. Most
participants supported a limited spring harvest season; a summer harvest
season; a reduced slot size of 45 to 50 inches; and some type of registration
system. The DNR used the input from the work group and others to develop the
current proposal.
Did the DNR consider other options for managing lake sturgeon?
Yes. Other options that were considered include: 1) Annual monitoring of the
population and angler harvest with a season closure when the target harvest of
7,600 pounds is reached. 2) Closing the fishery to harvest to allow the
population to recover as quickly as possible. Catch and release fishing would
still be allowed. 3) Issue harvest tags through a lottery system to manage
harvest (proposed in 2002) at target levels.
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What is the long-term goal for lake sturgeon in the Minnesota/Ontario
border waters area?
Re-establish and maintain self-sustaining stocks of lake sturgeon in all suitable
habitats in the Minnesota/Ontario border waters area. These stocks should
provide a subsistence and recreational fishery, with opportunities to encounter
large fish (>72”). Age, size, abundance and genetic diversity should approach
those found in lightly exploited populations.
Can anglers possess a gaff while fishing on the Rainy River?
During the 2000 public comment period, the DNR received significant numbers of
comments requesting that the use of a gaff be made illegal for the taking of lake
sturgeon. The DNR is completing the rule making process for implementing this
change.
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