With other states trying to keep their sturgeon numbers up, members of the Wisconsin Sturgeon Program are lending a helping hand, shipping sturgeon eggs from the Badger State, to the Peach State and others.
Margaret Stadig, a Winnebago Lake sturgeon biologist, said, "They'll collect eggs, and they'll collect sperm, or milk, to fertilize their eggs and then they'll drive them all the way back down to Georgia and Tennessee to raise little sturgeon, and then they kind of send them to the areas and locations that have rehabilitation programs."
But Wisconsin's sturgeon population wasn't always as good as it is today. A century ago, they were in trouble in the state, until stricter regulations were put in place. Stadig said it's taken a lot of work to get numbers back to normal, and they're hoping to help other states not to repeat their mistakes.
Stadig said, "If you have tons of populations across the United States that are healthy and thriving, then the species has a much better chance to continue thriving into the future."
She said that it's important to help other states with their populations, because when it comes to keeping the species alive, it's best not to put all of the sturgeon eggs in one basket.
Stadig added, "If you have tons of populations across the United States that are healthy and thriving, then the species has a much better chance to continue thriving into the future."
While Wisconsin's sturgeon population is strong, Stadig said it's important to keep other populations just as strong in case a natural disaster or disease hits a particular area.
