Menominee River Lake Sturgeon Restoration
Speaker: Michael Donofrio

The Menominee river in Marinette county contains the largest spawning lake sturgeon population with direct access to Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Despite annual spawning activity, very little recruitment has been documented to fingerlings. State and Federal agencies cooperated with Eagle Creek Renewable Energies, owners and operators of the first two dams, to install a fish lift to transport adult sturgeon upstream to more favorable spawning and juvenile rearing habitat. The lift began operation in 2015 and has transported hundreds of adult sturgeon upstream. We have documented spawning activity at sites below Grand Rapids dam, about 25 river miles upstream of the first 2 dams and anticipate fingerlings will move downstream and enter Green Bay for many years thus promoting restoration of this lake sturgeon population.