Project Contact: Anjanette Bowen (Anjanette_Bowen@fws.gov)

Background

Four rivers run through the Shiawassee National WIldlife Refuge. Photo USFWS.

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in Saginaw, Michigan. The refuge is named after the Shiawassee River, which is one of four rivers that run through the refuge. All rivers feed into the Saginaw River and ultimately Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. The refuge offers protection for the extensive riverine riparian wetlands on the Shiawassee River known as the Shiawassee Flats. These areas provide valuable spawning and nursery habitat for fish. The protection of native fish species and their habitats is an important fishery objective for the refuge - particularly with the threat of encroaching aquatic nuisance species. Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) has been providing fishery assistance to the refuge since 1997.

Recent Activities

Mussel Blitz at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

Researchers from the Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Genoa National Fish Hatchery, Jordan River National Fish Hatchery, East Lansing Ecological Services Office, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), and Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) met during the week of August 25, 2008 to conduct an extensive mussel survey of the rivers in and upstream of the Refuge. We sampled the Cass, Shiawassee, Tittabawassee, and Saginaw rivers. The goal of this survey was to determine the number of species of native mussels that still inhabit these rivers. read more >

Northern Pike Survey Conducted at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO), in cooperation with volunteers, conducted a northern pike (pike) survey in April, May, and June 2008 on the Shiawassee NWR in Saginaw, Michigan. Pike is an interjurisdictional, native species that is dependent on wetland vegetation for spawning and nursery habitat. Wetland habitat has been declining around the Great Lakes due to dredging, filling, draining, and industrial use to the detriment of pike. read more >

Projects

Fishery Management Plan Inventory

In 2001, Alpena FWCO worked with Shiawassee NWR staff and Friends of Shiawassee NWR to establish fishery surveys for fishery management plan development on the refuge. Surveys were conducted to assess species composition and establish a baseline for relative abundance in perennial fish habitat. Northern pike were once plentiful in the Saginaw River, but have declined due to diking of wetlands used for spawning and nursery habitat. Wetland habitats exist on Shiawassee NWR; however, fish access for northern pike and many other species is limited during critical spawning and nursery periods by refuge management practices. read more>

Northern Pike Production in Wetland Habitats

Shiawassee NWR and Alpena FWCO initiated a preliminary study to examine fish production in various wetland types present on the Shiawassee NWR in 2000 and beyond. Northern pike and other valuable native fish species require wetlands for spawning and nursery areas. Three wetland types are present on the refuge and are providing some degree of spawning and nursery habitat for these fish species. A preliminary study was funded by a Service Challenge Cost Share grant and conducted in 2000 to examine northern pike use of three wetland types present on the refuge. Spawning phase pike were captured from all study areas. More information is needed to determine how construction on refuge dikes have impacted pike production. Managed pools may be better manipulated to provide spawning and nursery habitat. read more >

1999 Round Goby Angling Surveys

In 1999, round goby numbers increased near the Saginaw River mouth and potentially increased the threat of spread upstream to refuge waters. An angling survey was planned on Shiawassee NWR for 1999 using angling gear as goby are particularly vulnerable to angling due to their aggressive nature. Shiawassee NWR and Alpena FWCO worked with partners to conduct the round goby angling survey in refuge portions of the Shiawassee and Flint Rivers in the spring and fall of 1999. Volunteers from the Friends of the Shiawassee NWR, Michigan United Conservation Club - District 10, Shiawassee Flats Advisory Council, Saginaw Field and Stream Club, and Boy Scouts of America assisted with the surveys. No round goby were captured. The catch was documented as baseline fishery data and provided information on recreational fishing on the refuge. read more >

Resource Materials

Report - Fishery Management Plan Inventory and Analysis. October 2002. (pdf - 454 Kb)

Report - 2000 Preliminary Northern Pike Production Investigation. April 2002. (pdf - 334 Kb)

Report - 1999 Round Goby Angling Survey. February 2000.

Report - 1998 Round Goby and Michigan Endangered Darter Survey. March 1999. (pdf - 1.03 Mb)

Useful Websites

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge Website - http://www.fws.gov/midwest/shiawassee

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