Twin Ports Freshwater Folk invites you to their April 1 presentation, "Lake Sturgeon Restoration in Western Lake Superior: Where Are We At? Where Are We Headed?” by Dan Wilfond, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Duluth Area Fisheries Supervisor, and Jay Walker, Great Lakes Aquarium Executive Director.
In-person attendees are invited to the Duluth MPCA conference room for networking, sandwiches, and plenty of fresh water at 11:30 a.m. The online and in-person presentation will begin at noon. Sadly, the Zoom option is sandwich-free.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required for in-person and virtual attendance.
When
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CDT
Location
Duluth MPCA, conference room
525 Lake Ave. S., Suite 400
Duluth, MN 55802
Parking
Attendees should inform the gate attendant at the MPCA lot that they are attending a meeting at the MPCA.
Registration
- In-person registration
- Virtual registration
Event schedule
- 11:30 a.m. Lunch and networking (in-person only)
- 12:00 p.m. Attendee announcements
- 12:05 p.m. Seminar
- 12:45 p.m. Moderated question and answer session
- Adjourning by 1 p.m. at the latest.
Speaker Bio
Dan Wilfond is the area fisheries supervisor, Duluth area fisheries, for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Originally from the Twin Cities metro, Wilfond has degrees in fisheries science from the University of Minnesota and has worked for MN DNR Fisheries at several locations for around 25 years. Wilfond has been leading lake sturgeon restorative efforts in the St. Louis River Estuary for the last 10 years and was previously a field biologist for the Duluth fisheries crew since 2007.
Jay Walker is the executive director of the Great Lakes Aquarium. Walker has 29 years of experience working in public aquariums and a degree in fisheries and aquaculture. Walker started as the curator of animal care for Great Lakes Aquarium in 1999, where their primary role was in managing the animal care department and animal collection. Walker was later promoted to director of operations, where his focus changed to design and development of exhibits and managing the building operations. In May of 2019, Walker accepted the opportunity to lead as the executive director.
Presentation Abstract
Lake Sturgeon were extirpated from western Lake Superior and the St. Louis River Estuary due to habitat degradation, pollution, and overharvest. Collaborative efforts from various co-management partners have sturgeon populations on the right trajectory for recovery. This presentation will go through a brief history of reintroduction efforts to date, discuss the current status of the population, and also present a new strategic partner to help ensure lake sturgeon populations fully recover in the Twin Ports.
About TPFF
Twin Ports Freshwater Folk (TPFF) is an informal gathering of individuals from the Twin Ports who are involved in freshwater research, policy, or regulatory issues. Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of every month and include networking, informal discussion, and a seminar.
Event Sponsors
- Minnesota Sea Grant
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Large Lakes Observatory at the University of Minnesota Duluth
- Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota Duluth
Subscribe
Sign up to receive notifications about upcoming TPFF events.
Contact
Alex Frie, research and fellowship coordinator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth. [email protected].
Image courtesy of Dan Wilfond.