Saturday, September 14
The event will be held in the Sturgeon River Campground Shelter (5564 Cedar St., Wolverine, MI 49799

Join the Watershed Council and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB) Fisheries Enhancement Facility for the annual Nmé (Sturgeon) Celebration on Saturday, September 14, from noon to 2 p.m.

Be there as we release “Gimiwan,” the Watershed Discovery Center’s resident sturgeon, into the Sturgeon River alongside hundreds of other juvenile sturgeon raised at LTBB’s Fisheries Enhancement Facility. Learn about ongoing conservation efforts, get hands-on with a sturgeon touch tank, and help release juvenile sturgeon into the river—wishing them luck as they begin their long journey. The release is followed by a community BBQ.

This event is a vital part of the repopulation efforts led by LTBB in the Burt Lake Watershed. Since 2013, LTTB has released more than 7,000 juvenile sturgeon. These juvenile sturgeon will call the river home for the next 2-3 years before migrating to Burt Lake. Sturgeon are known for their remarkable longevity, often living over 100 years. Due to their extended lifecycle, these fish won’t reach maturity until they are 15-20 years old. The fish being released this year are expected to return to the river between 2039 and 2044.

This event is free and open to the public.

In partnership with: