Are lake sturgeon endangered in the Winnebago system?

The lake sturgeon is common in the Winnebago system, even though it is threatened in most of the United States, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR’s latest stock assessment of the species in the Winnebago system, from 2023, concluded that there are “stable numbers,” providing evidence of a sustainable population. 

Lake sturgeon are also commonly found in several other rivers and lakes in Wisconsin, but they are uncommon or rare in the Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, the Mississippi River, the Madison lakes and the lower Wisconsin River.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been in the process of assessing whether to list lake sturgeon under the federal Endangered Species Act.

In response, Wisconsin lawmakers have attempted to exempt the state, given that the listing probably would ban sturgeon fishing and spearing — two activities of cultural and economic importance in Wisconsin.