Once again this year, the Department of Natural Resources will team up with local citizens from Cheboygan County to protect spawning lake sturgeon in the Upper Black River.

"When lake sturgeons come to spawn in the shallow upstream riffles of the river, they are very vulnerable to poachers," said Sgt. Greg Drogowski, DNR Law Enforcement. "With the help of the Sturgeon for Tomorrow volunteers, we will be able to monitor key areas 24 hours a day."

When sturgeon are in the river to spawn, local citizens, members of the local Vietnam Veterans chapter, volunteers from the Michigan National Guard and members of the local chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow stand watch and use cellular phones to report suspicious activity to the DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline. The information is forwarded to conservation officers on patrol in the area.

"This effort would not be possible without the community volunteers. Since this effort began nine years ago, we are aware of only one fish being taken illegally," Drogowski said. "The sturgeon patrol volunteers have made a significant difference."

A reward of up to $1,000 has been offered by Sturgeon for Tomorrow and the RAP program for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons illegally taking lake sturgeon. To report any illegal activity, call the RAP hotline at (800) 292-7800. A person convicted for the illegal harvest of a lake sturgeon faces penalties of not less than 30 days in jail and not less than $2,000 in fines and restitution, or both.

For more information on the volunteer Black River sturgeon patrol, contact Brenda Archambo, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, at 231-625-2776, or visit the Web site at www.sturgeonfortomorrow.org.