What’s a sturgeon worth?

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New rules proposed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would increase the restitution value of lake sturgeon. Under the proposed rules:

– Restitution value for lake sturgeon more than 40 inches would increase from $500 to $1,000. Restitution value for lake sturgeon more than 50 inches would be $1,000, plus $100 for each inch over 50 inches.

Please refer to the DNR website at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us, for more information on “Proposed Rules”.

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Thank you for your interest in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources!

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Excuse my ignorance, but that means if you are caught keeping a fish that size, that is the fine you will get?

No, if I’m reading it correcly, the fine is likely up to the judge with some sort of standard applied. However, these would likely be civil charges for restitution to the DNR to restock the fish.

Not near enough!!!!!

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Not near enough!!!!!

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My thoughts exactly

I’m wondering how big of a problem this is?

I think cavier poachers are on the rise…

I wonder also if this has something to do with potetional negligence by persons or companys like NSP which had to pay fines for each fish killed when they had to shutdown their warm water discharge at their plant in Monticello which resulted in many fish dying?

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I’m wondering how big of a problem this is?

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Judging by the folks we met at Log Cabin Bait, plenty of sturgeon are being killed by the locals.

“They eat the walleye eggs!”

Give me a break. Make ’em pay through the nose!!!

Both posts are likely right…and I did hear that too…about the “vicouse walleye eating sturgeon”…but I thought it was the dreaded MUSKIE that ate all of the fry??

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I’m wondering how big of a problem this is?

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In the grand scheme of things, I am betting it is pretty small potatoes. I doubt if it is an epidemic. The locals have been there fishing for and keeping sturgeon (limit used to be 1/day with a 45” limit)long before all of you discovered this bite. If the harvest that was/is taking place is not sustainable, then the population would not have grown and we would not have the great fishery we have today. The vast majority of fisherman hitting the sturgeon now are new at the sport, and release everything. The recent tightening of the harvest regs should accommodate this. As far as illegal taking of them, I am sure it happens, but to what extent is impossible to say.

Remember also that the fish you release may very well end up in a legal gillnet set by the Manitou Rapids band of Indians, or the rainy river band, or any of the other local natives that feel like setting a net on the Canadian side. The netting of them is far more common than you may think, and I would tend to think that the nets take more fish than a handful of locals that stretch the harvest slot a little now and then(although I am not condoning the illegal taking of them).

Tim

Its called survival of the fittest, circle of life! “Only the strong survive and the weak are forgotten”!

Not nearly enough! It should be double that. Make sure you have the DNR tip line on speed dial if you see any illegal or even suspected activity.

There is no proper price that can be put on a fish that doesnt spawn for more than 20 years, and them only once every few years after that.

Throw the law breakers in jail for a manditory week and make them pay $500-$1000 restitution, and lose fishing and hunting priveledges for a couple years… I guarantee loosing their freedom will have most effect.