Question: What's so special about sturgeon that the new regulations and measures are required?

Answer: Green sturgeon is a threatened species and white sturgeon has long been a substantial management concern. To protect sturgeon populations and the vibrant white sturgeon fishery, the CDFW and Commission have emphasized sturgeon enforcement, research, fishing regulations, passage improvements (for example, at bypass weirs on the Sacramento River) and outreach. The State legislature is also aware of the sturgeon issue, and in 2007 implemented a law (AB 1187; DeSaulnier) that made it easier for CDFW wildlife officers to charge poachers with illegal commercialization of sturgeon. The law drastically increased the fines for illegal commercialization of sturgeon.