CHEBOYGAN (AP) -- Anglers are gearing up for the anticipated Lake Sturgeon season in Cheboygan County.
Department of Natural Resources says the season for pursuing sturgeon on Cheboygan County's Black Lake will begin Feb. 2.
Anglers wanting to catch or spear a lake sturgeon must register. Early registration takes place Feb. 1 at the DNR's Onaway Field Station. But those unable to register then can do so the next day at the entrance booth to Onaway State Park or a trailer on Zolner Road near the lake.
Only six of the prized and prehistoric fish can be harvested because of their low numbers.
Recent changes in registration logistics were developed to allow more anglers to participate while protecting the lake's sturgeon from overharvest.
State agencies and private groups work together to protect Black Lake's sturgeon population.
The Lake Sturgeon, a remnant of the dinosaur age, is considered a species of special concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a threatened species in North America by the American Fisheries Society, a globally rare species by the Nature Conservancy, and a threatened species in the State of Michigan.
The Lake Sturgeon population in Michigan is estimated to be about one percent of its former abundance. The Huron-Erie corridor was, at one time, one of the most productive waters for lake sturgeon in North America.
To learn more about Lake Sturgeon CLICK HERE.
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