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View Full Version : Lake Sturgeon monitoring and a request for your opinion...


gaspergou
08-18-2015, 12:43 PM
For at least the past eight years, TWRA has been monitoring Lake Sturgeon catches by recreational fishermen by asking folks that catch a sturgeon to call a TWRA employee. By all accounts this has been a successful program, but has required an increasing amount of staff time as the number of sturgeon being caught increases. We're happy that this is becoming a problem!

The Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute is trying to create a reporting system for Lake Sturgeon sightings by fishermen. One option is to use the existing platform iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/), since it is easy to upload photos and other locality information. However, users would be required to create a separate login. Another option is a short webform on the Aquarium website, but you wouldn’t be able to upload photos and there would be less information associated with the catch. Aquarium staff are afraid that creating a separate login might prevent people from reporting the information, though they’d prefer using the iNaturalist system -- if you're not familiar with it, it's a great site! As far as I know, there will still be a certificate of appreciation issued for each report regardless of which reporting scheme gets used.

Do you have a preference? If you were to catch a Lake Sturgeon, would a certificate of appreciation be enough of an incentive to login to iNaturalist to report it?

Many thanks.

TerryD
08-19-2015, 06:49 PM
I would respond with or without the certificate...Just so I could say I was helping with the program!

Reel Tune
08-20-2015, 06:10 AM
I would either way also, but I do like the certificate idea. I do participate in the TARP Program which I think is cool.

brewer88
08-20-2015, 10:14 AM
I would participate either way. I love seeing and talking about rare catches and something like a sturgeon is on my bucket list for sure. I think the cert is a cool idea though, I just got my first TARP cert back and it was awesome. Kinda of a hassle to fill out and mail the form...and the 5 bucks, but if it was free and online thats definatly a plus. It would just need advertising, I didnt know about the TARP program until I had been fishing here for a couple years

StriperFan
08-20-2015, 06:43 PM
It would be enough for me. Still waiting for my first one.

gaspergou
08-27-2015, 06:12 PM
Thanks for all of your input!

The new website is live.

www.icaughtone.org (http://www.icaughtone.org)

You can either submit an observation directly, or go through iNaturalist to be able to upload photos or other info. You can also still call TWRA for now...

Your best chance is targeting deep holes on the mainstem TN or Cumberland rivers during late fall and winter. Cut bait on circle hooks. Handle them carefully, snap a quick pic, and get them back in the water ASAP! They're amazing fish!

Travis C.
08-27-2015, 08:25 PM
Thank you Dave for all the work you do.