Northern Michigan lawmaker calls for stricter penalties on Lake Sturgeon poaching

After a 71-inch lake sturgeon was found dumped on a Muskegon County roadside in July, state Rep. Cam Cavitt introduced legislation to raise the maximum fine for illegally taking or possessing the threatened species from $2,000 to $5,000. Lake sturgeon, protected in Michigan since 1994, can live 55 to 150 years and are prohibited from being fished in most locations, including the White River where this one was found.

Current penalties also include up to 180 days in prison. The bill has been referred to the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee, and the Department of Natural Resources is still seeking information about who dumped the fish.

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