Saturday's race featured a C-1, or one person, race. While Sunday's race consisted of a professional and amateur C-2, or two person, race. Race coordinator Steve Watson began the race not only to promote the sport, but also to bring new people to the area.

We commend Steve and all the volunteers for a job well done.

Each Spring, sturgeon head up the rivers to spawn at known spawning sites. At this time a large percentage of the adult sturgeon in the system are concentrated in a small area. When the sturgeon are spawning along the rocky riverbanks they are fairly oblivious to nearby human activity and are susceptible to illegal harvest. Accordingly, conservation officers, volunteer off-duty national guardsmen and other volunteer groups are also concentrated in these areas 24 hours a day.

This is also an excellent opportunity to gather information about the population. Team PIE&G, led by Patrick Forsythe, a Michigan State doctorate student, donned waders and walked into the frigid waters of early May to physically net and tag the sturgeon as they headed upstream to spawn. This was not an easy task considering the smallest sturgeon netted the first day was 45 pounds and the largest was 110 pounds and just under six feet long.

The guarding efforts are largely coordinated by Sturgeon for Tomorrow. For more information, visit their website at www.sturgeonfortomorrow.org.