NEW LONDON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A spring tradition that’s been around for a few decades is changing.
The DNR has announced it’s ending the “sturgeon guard” patrols during the spawning season.
For years, Sturgeon For Tomorrow has volunteered to protect and educate Wolf River’s visitors as sturgeon guards. Now, their patrols are over.
“Well Sturgeon For Tomorrow is not happy with that decision, we feel as if it still should go on. We think it protects the fish. Because we don’t know, nor does the DNR know, how much poaching is out there,” said Jim Patt, President of the Southwest chapter.
He tells FOX 11 Sturgeon For Tomorrow and the DNR both have the best interest in mind when it comes to protecting sturgeon.
“Our thoughts on it is that word is going to get around that the sturgeon guards isn’t there and that may cause more people to start poaching.”
DNR Regional Conservation Warden, Ben Treml, says there have been no major complaints or poaching cases in 15 to 20 years.
The last two years they did not have sturgeon guards amid the pandemic.
Yet Treml says this has been a difficult decision for the DNR, and a lot of factors played into it.
“We looked at it, we didn’t have the sturgeon guard coordinator , there’s a ton of hours coordinating the volunteers, who wants to do what shift.”
Up until a few years ago, volunteer sturgeon guards would work 24/7.
Treml and Patt say it’s hard to find people willing to watch overnight.
“What would you like to see go on?” asked Fox 11.
“Well that’s the hard part, we would like to still have it but the volunteers aren’t there,” said Patt, “We’re thinking of things that we can do to help and maybe do it again next year and or in a few years. Maybe us paying for some retired wardens or something that would help out.”
“If we get complaints, if we see problems we will re-adjust this decision. We constantly have wardens out there day and night in the same places that the walleye are out, where the sturgeon are still out there doing our enforcement,” said Treml.
Treml says the DNR will continue to partner with Sturgeon For Tomorrow. He’s confident the people who come and enjoy the spawning spectacle will help protect the sturgeon too.
Since we’ve seen lower temperatures this spring, the DNR doesn’t know exactly when the sturgeon run will start. Officials predict it will be in the next week or two.
