Years of surveillance: How Minnesota, Wisconsin officers built a case to protect shovelnose sturgeon on the Mississippi River

For two consecutive springs, in 2020 and 2021, often night after night and for grueling 12-hour shifts, conservation officers from the Minnesota DNR and conservation wardens from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tucked themselves into shoreline vegetation and watched men fish on Pool 9 of the Mississippi River.
Often, the officers would write lengthy reports the following morning. After some rest, another similar shift might begin that afternoon. Those fishing from a Mississippi float, the officers would learn, were running equally lengthy shifts, fishing and traveling between the river and their homes in far eastern Wisconsin.

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