The Sturm Memorial Library will host author Ron Bruch at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday April 22, at the library.
Bruch is a co-author of “People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair with an Ancient Fish.”
This book tells the fascinating story of an ancient fish that faced extinction from over-harvesting and wanton destruction of habitat.
These things took a heavy toll on the prehistoric creatures but in Wisconsin, lake sturgeon have flourished because of the dedicated work of Department of Natural Resources staff, university researchers and a determined group of spearers known as Sturgeon For Tomorrow.
Thanks to these efforts, spearers can still flock by the thousands to frozen Lake Winnebago each winter to take part in a ritual rooted in the traditions of the Menominee and other Wisconsin Indians. A century of sturgeon management on Lake Winnebago has produced the world’s largest and healthiest lake sturgeon population.
Bruch is a 38 veteran of the DNR where he was best known for his work with sturgeon starting in 1986 as a senior fisheries biologist on the Winnebago system. In that role, he led assessment and public engagement efforts that helped establish the lake sturgeon population as one of the largest in the world and capable of supporting a unique winter spearing season.
Bruch’s academic background includes research on sturgeon and deep water sculpin. He holds doctorate and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor’s degree from UW-Stevens Point.
He has authored or co-authored numerous papers for peer-reviewed scientific publications as well as the 11-time national award winning book “People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair with an Ancient Fish” (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2009).
This event was planned on April 22 because it is Earth Day and because it may fall during the time that sturgeon are spawning on the rocks by the Little Wolf River dam that is next to the library. If the sturgeon are here, the author will escort those in attendance to the bridge where we will view the fish and learn exactly what they are doing and hear the fascinating story of how the fish know to come back to this spot generation after generation.
This special event is funded by the A. Sturm & Sons Foundation and everyone is welcome to attend.
The author will have copies of his book for sale and will be available for signing after the program.
For more information on this event, call the library at 920-596-2252 or visit online at www.manawalibrary.org.