> Conserving Fisheries new
> Restore Native Species
> Aquatic Invasive Species
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> Assist Refuge Fishery
> Improve Aquatic Habitat__________
Phone: 989-356-5102
Fax: 989-356-4651
Address:
145 Water St, Room 204
Alpena, MI 49707Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge Fishery Assistance
Program Contact: Anjanette Bowen (Anjanette_Bowen@fws.gov)
Four rivers run through the Shiawassee National WIldlife Refuge.
Biologist Koproski sets a trap net in the Cass River to collect fishery information.
A northern pike captured during a study in 2000 to examine pike use of wetlands on the refuge.
Crappie captured during fishery surveys on the Shiawassee NWR.
Refuge Park Ranger Becky Goche prepares a fishing rod during an angling survey to detect invasive species in refuge waters.
A refuge volunteer fishes for aquatic invasive species during an angling survey on the Flint River.
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 invasion. Alpena National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) has been providing fishery assistance to the refuge since 1997.
In 2001, Alpena NFWCO 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.
Twenty-seven fish species were documented. Species of interest to anglers include yellow perch, white crappie, black crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and green sunfish. The natural and breached marsh areas of the refuge have high species diversity and abundance of shiners, crappie, sunfish and largemouth bass. Also present are bowfin, rock bass, yellow perch, and northern pike. The closed pools and other areas where the water level is regulated have lower species diversity except for Pool 1A which has overwintering habitat which allows more species to subsist. One juvenile and one spawning adult northern pike were captured at North Marsh, and ten juvenile and one spawning adult northern pike were captured at Pool 1A.
Shiawassee NWR and Alpena NFWCO 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.
Aquatic Invasive Species Surveillance
1998 Round Goby and Baseline Fish Survey
The round goby is an aquatic invasive fish species accidentally transported to the Great Lakes from Eurasia in the ballast water tanks of ocean-going ships. It is an aggressive fish that is thought to compete with native fish for food and habitat. In 1996, it was discovered upstream from Shiawassee NWR in the headwaters of the Shiawassee River. It was also discovered downstream from the refuge at the mouth of the Saginaw River in 1997. In 1997, questions were raised as to what fishery resources were present in refuge waters that may need to be protected or monitored if exotics were to invade the area, and whether the round goby was already present on the refuge. A study was planned for 1998 to document the refuge fish community and to look for the round goby and other exotics on the refuge.In 1998, Shiawassee NWR and Alpena NFWCO worked with partners including the Michigan United Conservation Clubs to conduct a fishery study to look for the round goby and two Michigan endangered darters, the channel and river darters, in refuge portions of the Shiawassee and Cass Rivers. Electrofishing and bottom trawling gear were used to collect fish for the survey. Volunteers from the Michigan United Conservation Club - District 10 and the Shiawassee Flats Advisory Council assisted in collecting fish. No round goby were captured. The riverine fish community was documented to provide baseline information on the fishery prior to possible negative effects caused by invasion by aquatic exotic species.
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 FRO 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.
