* Attention *

The reward program will no longer offer sturgeon rewards during the months of June, July, August or September. The risk of mortality is too high in the summer water temperatures. The reward program will otherwise continue as before, but only from October 1 through May 31. We have halted rewards for this summer as of yesterday. USFWS is notifying, by phone, all the fishermen that regularly collect sturgeon.

The reward program for live sturgeon has been extended through the year (upon notification this reward program may be terminated at any time, due to shortage of funding). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, in cooperation, are offering monetary rewards for live sturgeon captured in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Please hold the sturgeon alive after they are captured. Call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-448-8322, and we will arrange a time to meet you. If you call after normal working hours (7:30 - 4:00 Monday through Friday), please leave a message including your name and phone number.

We are offering a $50.00 reward for wild sturgeon captures that are turned over to us (USFWS) alive. YOU WILL NOT GET PAID IF THE STURGEON IS NOT ALIVE WHEN WE COME TO CHECK IT.

In July of 1996 the MDDNR released nearly 3,000 hatchery raised Atlantic sturgeon with internal coded wire tags (cwt's) into the Nanticoke River. We are offering a $25.00 reward for these sturgeon which only we (USFWS) can detect the tags using a cwt wand. So please hold the sturgeon alive until we are able to respond and detect if the sturgeon is hatchery raised or wild. YOU WILL NOT GET PAID IF THE STURGEON IS NOT ALIVE WHEN WE COME TO CHECK IT.

We are working to restore Atlantic sturgeon to the Chesapeake Bay. Captured sturgeon will be tagged and released to learn more about their migratory patterns. Tissue samples from wild sturgeon will be taken to determine the genetic stock (Hudson R. vs. Chesapeake Bay). Water quality studies are being conducted on historic sturgeon spawning grounds. In addition, methods have been developed for hatchery production that can be used if broodstock are found in the Bay.

We offer these modest rewards to encourage your participation, but knowing that you are helping restore sturgeon to the Chesapeake Bay is a far greater reward.