Adoption Program

 

When sturgeon hatch, they imprint on their home waters. Over the course of their long lives, they always return to the same river to spawn; their sense of home is just as strong as our own. For this reason among others, people and sturgeon have lived interconnected lives in the Great Lakes region for hundreds of years.

 

Many know the story of how these great fish who once swam with dinosaurs were carelessly overharvested, leading them to the brink of extinction. However, as Marty Holtgren wrote in a 2013 essay collection entitled The Great Lake Sturgeon, the time to return to a story of harmony and mutual benefit between people and sturgeon is here. Indigenous communities in the area have long demonstrated the power and impact of such caring, invested relationships – between sturgeon and many other local species.

 

This Adopt-A-Sturgeon program is a way for people to again build meaningful, personal connections to sturgeon, through supporting ongoing restoration and education efforts that seek to undo decades of mistreatment of this ancient fish. “Adopting” a sturgeon provides funding for hatcheries to feed their fish until the time of release, support students to learn about sturgeon first-hand by hosting one in their classroom, organize release events where participants can actually hold one of these fish in their hands, and more. There are many ways to take an active role in your ecosystem – “adopting” a sturgeon is one of them. Help us protect the inhabitants of these waters that we all call home.

 

Your adoption of a Lake Sturgeon today will connect you with our efforts to protect the Saginaw Bay watershed's most significant and threatened fish species! 

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Adoption Packages

 

Ready to help support sturgeon restoration efforts by adopting a sturgeon of your own? Start by adopting a sturgeon below! You are also welcome to adopt a sturgeon at one of our release events throughout the year – updates about these will be posted online.

 

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$25 Sturgeon Adoption Kit

You receive:

• Unique PIT tag number associated with your specific sturgeon

• Personalized adoption certificate

• Periodic updates about your adopted sturgeon

 

$50 Sturgeon Adoption Kit

You receive:

• Unique PIT tag number associated with your specific sturgeon

• Personalized adoption certificate

• Periodic updates about your adopted sturgeon

• Plush sturgeon stuffed animal

 

$75 Sturgeon Adoption Kit

You receive:

• Unique PIT tag number associated with your specific sturgeon

• Personalized adoption certificate

• Periodic updates about your adopted sturgeon

• Plush sturgeon stuffed animal

• Online recognition on the Saginaw Bay Sturgeon Restoration website

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$150 Business Sponsorship

You receive:

• Unique PIT tag number associated with your specific sturgeon

• Personalized adoption certificate

• Periodic updates about your adopted sturgeon

• Plush sturgeon stuffed animal

• Your business logo on the Saginaw Bay Sturgeon Restoration website (logo appears for one year, with October renewal)