Sturgeon Numbers Recovers In Lake of the Woods, Rainy River

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A recent population study highlights the slow, steady recovery of lake sturgeon in Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River.

Fisheries managers say it's a success story that someday will allow anglers the realistic expectation of catching 100-pound sturgeon, thanks to cleaner water, effective fishing regulations and vigilant enforcement.

The population study estimates the number of lake sturgeon longer than 40 inches in Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River at 92,000, compared with 59,000 in 2004 and 17,000 in 1989.

Overharvest through the late 1800s and early 1900s decimated the sturgeon population in Minnesota's northernmost lake and the main river that feeds it. Water quality improvements in the Rainy River eventually set the stage for a big increase in reproduction and survival, the basis for the recovery.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)