Tom Wirth
People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish
People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair with an Ancient Fish showcases the cultural and scientific history of an iconic Wisconsin fish, the lake sturgeon. Throughout the process of writing the book, the authors interviewed community activists, sturgeon-spearing enthusiasts, spear and decoy craftsmen, and scientific researchers associated with the Lake Winnebago sturgeon population. Because of the cultural, social, economic, and scientific knowledge captured in these interviews, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin Water Library preserved the audio files as a collection of oral histories. This collection, People of the Sturgeon, encapsulates perspectives on lake sturgeon as they are reflected in the book. The People of the Sturgeon collection includes interviews with outdoorsmen, scientists, and craftsmen associated with the Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, lake sturgeon population.
The collection was compiled by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin Water Library. Audio courtesy of the Oshkosh Public Museum. Recordings were collected as part of the research for People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish published by Wisconsin Historical Society Press, Madison, Wisconsin.
National Capital Contracting
On February 21, 2008, Ronald Bruch interviewed Tom Wirth for the "People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish" oral history project. Wirth, a former area biologist with extensive experience in fisheries management, shares his knowledge and observations regarding sturgeon populations and habitat changes in the Lake Winnebago system. The interview delves into the shifts in sturgeon population sizes, with Wirth recalling that, during his tenure, the estimated population was around 10,000 sturgeon of spearable size, while Bruch notes that the current population has increased to approximately 60,000. They discuss various factors contributing to these changes, including the introduction of gizzard shad as a significant forage fish, the impact of nonpoint pollution leading to cloudier water in the 1960s and 1970s, and how these conditions helped reduce sturgeon harvest rates, allowing the population to grow. Wirth and Bruch also explore fisheries management techniques, including the adjustments in size limits, season length, and the implementation of harvest caps to sustain the sturgeon population. Wirth reflects on the changes in regulations over the years, noting how certain practices evolved, such as the removal of sturgeon tags from a conservation patron license. He shares personal experiences, recalling his role in introducing trawling methods to Lake Winnebago and other areas, his work with the sheepshead removal program, and his encounters with local characters and fellow biologists.
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