The Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division has devised a new tag that all anglers who fish for lake sturgeon are required to have in their possession. The tag, which is similar to a deer tag and is available free of charge at all license vendors, is perforated with one portion designed to be attached to a sturgeon harvested by an angler. The other half is to be retained for catch-and-release fishing.

The new tag replaces the old locking-tie tags. The new tags will be available at any DNR license vendor starting July 1. Next year, the tags will be available at the start of the new license period on March 1.

"By requiring everyone to have this tag, we can get a better idea of how much fishing pressure exists for sturgeon," said DNR fisheries biologist Christian LeSage. "The harvest portion is designed to be used with a length of cord, like a deer or turkey tag, and should be tied around the sturgeon's tail."

Michigan has three hook-and-line lake sturgeon fisheries where one sturgeon may be harvested annually -- Otsego Lake, Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River, and the Menominee River. Everywhere else, sturgeon fishing is catch-and-release only, except for the winter spearing season on Black Lake. The catch-and-release season is July 16-Nov. 30.

Harvest seasons are:

-- July 16-Sept. 30 on Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River with a limit of one fish measuring between 42 and 50 inches,

-- July 16-March 15 on Otsego Lake with a limit of one fish, a minimum of 50 inches, and

-- Sept. 1-30 on the Menominee River with a limit of one fish, a minimum of 60 inches. The Menominee River is closed from Hattie Street Dam downstream.

All harvested sturgeon must be tagged immediately and registered at a designated station within 24 hours.

For a list of registration stations visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr or contact the DNR. Anglers who catch a lake sturgeon during late or early hours when registration stations are not open may report their lake sturgeon harvest by contacting either the DNR Southfield Operations Service Center (248) 359-9040 or DNR Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station (586) 465-4771. Please speak carefully, slowly, and clearly while recording catch information on the answering machine. Anglers will need to indicate that they are registering their lake sturgeon for harvest and provide the following information regarding their catch: angler name, tag number (same as license number), address, contact phone number, fish length, weight, girth, date of catch, and where it was caught.