CHEBOYGAN, MI (AP)-- An annual effort to protect lake sturgeon from illegal harvest is resuming as the fish begin their spawning run in northern Michigan.
The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow says the fish are vulnerable as they leave Black Lake in Cheboygan County to spawn in the Black River.
The group is working with the state Department of Natural Resources and seeks volunteers to report any suspicious activity along the river from mid-April through early June.
Sturgeon guards are assigned in shifts to sites along the Black River. DNR conservation officers also actively patrol the area.
Lake sturgeon can live up to 100 years and weigh more than 200 pounds.
