In the Winnebago system, the fish were helped by state laws and a period in the 1970s and 1980s when the polluted waters were so murky that they were hard to catch, except during the spawningseason.
Female sturgeon don't become sexually mature until their 20s and spawn about every four years, so the spawningseason, in which they surface from the depths to lay their eggs on rocky shores, is an extremely important time for the species.
Having identified the main Loligo nursery grounds, they recommended postponing the opening of the fishing season in these areas for a few months after summer spawning.