Inch sturgeon found on road in West Michigan, DNR says; investigation underway

A nearly 6-foot lake sturgeon was found on a road in West Michigan, prompting an investigation by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The 71-inch fish was reported after being dumped on Durham Road in Whitehall sometime between 12 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Friday, near an access point for the White River. DNR officials said the sturgeon appeared injured in a way that suggested it may have been snagged, and they noted that fishing for lake sturgeon is only legal at a few Michigan locations. The White River is not among them. The agency is asking the public for information related to the incident and has directed tips to its Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800, with potential cash rewards for leads that result in arrest and prosecution. Lake sturgeon are the only sturgeon species in Michigan and were listed as threatened in 1994 due to overfishing and habitat loss, with restoration ongoing. Whitehall is about 55 miles northwest of Grand Rapids.