Nearly 500 Lake Sturgeon have been tagged and released into north Georgia rivers as part of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Lake Sturgeon Reintroduction Program.
The program, which began in 2002, aims to restore the Lake Sturgeon population in Georgia after the species disappeared from the Coosa River Basin around 1970 due to pollution, habitat loss and overharvest.
Biologists tagged the sturgeon with Passive Integrated Transponder tags at the Go Fish Education Center before their release. These tags allow scientists to track individual fish, monitor their survival and measure their growth as they adapt to their native rivers once again, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resource Division said.
Lake Sturgeon are known for their long lifespans, which can reach up to 80 years, and their slow reproduction rates, making recovery efforts a long-term commitment. Each tagged fish represents progress toward establishing a self-sustaining population in Georgia.
Anglers are reminded that Lake Sturgeon cannot be harvested in Georgia. If caught, the fish should be photographed, carefully released, and the catch reported to the Northwest Georgia Wildlife Resources Division Fisheries Office at 706-295-6102 to support conservation efforts.
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