Maine Asks Anglers to Report Sturgeon Sightings and Release Accidental Catches

Maine is asking anglers and other people on the water to help track Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon by reporting sightings and releasing fish caught accidentally. A new Department of Marine Resources outreach campaign puts that message at boat ramps and beach access points along Saco Bay and the Androscoggin River, where public observations have helped identify useful places to reach fishermen.

Both species are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. The campaign focuses on safe handling and release, not a new fishing opportunity. Signs and stickers developed with Maine Sea Grant use NOAA Fisheries guidance, backed by $10,000 from a NOAA Species Recovery Grant to States. More signs are planned for targeted locations next summer.

The reporting side already has a record to build on. Since the Maine Sturgeon Sighting Reporter launched in 2025, DMR has received 121 reports. People can submit live or dead sightings, including accidental catches, and may remain anonymous or leave contact information for a biologist to follow up.

Those observations help researchers understand when and where sturgeon use coastal rivers and estuaries. They have also guided expansion of the acoustic receiver network used to track tagged fish. During its first year, the program helped staff recover more carcasses for examination and learn more about accidental encounters. The report count measures public participation; it is not a sturgeon population estimate.

Cleaner water and restored access to habitat remain central to recovery. This campaign gives anglers a practical supporting role: follow the posted release guidance, report an encounter through DMR’s Maine Sturgeon Sighting Reporter and give biologists information they can use. Keeping a protected fish alive and documenting where it was encountered are small actions that can strengthen long-term fisheries work.