Sturgeon, Paddlefish Deaths On Lake Pepin Investigated
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Some commercial fishing operations have been temporarily halted on Lake Pepin following the discovery of nearly four dozen dead paddlefish and lake sturgeon.
Both the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources took the action, announced Tuesday.
Following reports from the public, fisheries biologists from both agencies found 22 recently dead paddlefish and 24 lake sturgeon in a small area of Lake Pepin where commercial gillnetting has been taking place. Some of the dead fish had marks consistent with being caught in gillnets.
The DNRs of both states notified commercial fishing operations to suspend gillnetting on Lake Pepin until further notice. That will give fisheries biologists more time to investigate the fish deaths.
Paddlefish are listed as a threatened species in both Minnesota and Wisconsin waters.
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