State Rep. Cam Cavitt on Monday praised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for declining to label lake sturgeon as an endangered species. The decision protects sturgeon fishing nationwide, including sturgeon spearing on Black Lake in Cheboygan County.

“Michigan is the national leader in lake sturgeon preservation. It’s great to see the feds recognize our world-class efforts and throw out this bogus attempt to ban lake sturgeon fishing nationwide,” said Cavitt, R-Cheboygan. “Sturgeon fishing season is basically a holiday in northern Michigan. We teach our kids about the importance of preserving sturgeon populations so we can continue to celebrate the unique fishing season each year.”

The decision comes after a year-long investigation where the FWS found that lake sturgeon management efforts are working and suitably contributing to the conservation and resiliency of the species. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been actively working to preserve sturgeon populations for over 20 years. Since 2003, 33,416 juvenile lake sturgeon have been stocked into the Cheboygan River drainage via the Black Lake sturgeon facility.

Black Lake is one of two places in the U.S. where sturgeon spearing is permitted. The only other is in Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. The Blake Lake sturgeon season is already heavily regulated by the DNR. The DNR determines the total number of sturgeon that may be harvested each year. Once the limit is met, all sturgeon fishing stops. While the 2024 season was canceled due to safety concerns stemming from lack of ice on the lake, the 2023 season lasted only 65 minutes, and the 2022 season only lasted 36 minutes.

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