Kentucky launches its efforts to restore lake sturgeon back into state waters with a special stocking of fish into the Cumberland River near Corbin April 17.
Local students will help the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources employees release more than 200 of these fish at the Mouth of Laurel Boat Ramp around noon Eastern time.
While states to the north have stable populations of lake sturgeon, this species has not been caught in Kentucky's interior waters for more than 50 years. As a result, this species is considered critically imperiled in the state. Kentucky is embarking on a 20-year program to restore these fish to the state.
The year-old fish being released next month were hatched from eggs obtained from stable lake sturgeon populations in the upper Mississippi River. The 6 to 10 inch fish are being raised at the Pfeiffer Fish Hatchery near Frankfort.
