2025 Nmé Celebration and Release

Come celebrate with us! Saturday, September 13th, 2025, LTBB and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Counsel are teaming up, again, for LTBB’s annual Nmé Celebration and release. This wonderful community event will take place in Wolverine at the Sturgeon River Campground Pavilion, from Noon until 2:00pm. A community BBQ and refreshments are provided, and attendees will be given the chance to release a Nmé (Lake Sturgeon) into the Sturgeon River. In LTBB’s cultural teachings, Nmé is known as the “King of Fish” and is highly respected. We send these young fish off with well-wishes and blessings as they begin their long journey in life.

The fingerlings will remain in the river for 2 to 3 years, until they are large enough to migrate out into Burt Lake. Since 2013, LTBB has released over 7,500 fingerling sturgeon into the Burt Lake system. Lake Sturgeon are incredibly long-lived fish; males typical live 60 to 70 years, while females can live up to 150 years or more. They have a slow maturation process which can take 15 to 25 years to reach spawning age. That means the fingerlings we release this year will likely return to the river to spawn somewhere around 2040 to 2050. Join us for this free event; learn about our ongoing conservation efforts, share a community meal with fellow sturgeon-lovers, and get up close with these remarkable fish!