Contacting the Office:
Julie Morin, Acting Native American Specialist
e-mail: Julie_Morin@fws.gov
BHW Federal Building
One Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Phone: 612-713-5108
Fax: 612-713-5280
Return to Michigan
Page
Return to Tribal Grants Main Page
Tribal Wildlife Grant
2005
$250,000
Gray Wolf Management Plan
Tribal Wildlife Grant
2004
$129,261.00
LTBB Tribal Wildlife Project -- Bald Eagle and Wycamp Lake Comprehensive
Management Plans
Douglas Craven, 231-242-1670
Fish Aging Techniques
Subject of Michigan Workshop
Fisheries Biologist Adam
Kowalski and Fisheries Technician Lori Betcher (R3-Alpena FRO) attended
a fish aging class sponsored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
(MDNR) Marquette research staff Jan. 22-23 in Marquette, Mich. Organizations
attending included the Little Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, Bay Mills Indian Community, and Keweenaw
Bay Indian Community. The class focused on the aging techniques for lake
whitefish and lake trout, but also touched on perch. Aging techniques included
aging using calcified structures; including scales, otolith, and fin ray.
Aging using otolith was performed with two techniques; one was the crack
and burn method where the otolith was cracked in half and burned to highlight
the annulus, the other method performed was polishing the otolith and looking
at it under a microscope connected to a computer using the Optimus software
for fish aging and a Wallis filter. These two procedures were used for
whitefish and lake trout. Fin rays for all species mentioned were prepared
by sectioning the ray using a Dremel tool, placing drops of vinegar on
the section to highlight the annulus and looking at it under a dissecting
microscope. The technique of pressing scales was also demonstrated. Scales
impression on acetate slides are viewed on microfiche and an eber- bach.
The Alpena Fishery Resources Office (FRO) currently does not have the equipment
to view otolith on the computer or the wallis filter. This equipment is
going to be essential for aging fish with better accuracy in the future.
Also the eber-bach for viewing scales is not available at the Alpina FRO
but would also make aging whitefish and lake trout easier and more accurate.
The workshop offered an opportunity to improve aging skills and learn different
methods of aging whitefish and lake trout in the great lakes area. Computer
software and filter offered a more accurate approach to aging white fish
and lake trout using otoliths. Other equipment such as are currently unavailable
at the Alpina FRO. This workshop allowed for insight to this equipment
that if purchased will make aging whitefish and lake trout at the Alpina
FRO easier and more accurate.
Partners: agencies
that attended the class include: Little Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa Indians,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Bay Mills Indian Community, and
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Service Biologist
Attends North American Lake Trout Symposium
Fishery biologist Aaron
Woldt of the Alpina Fisheries Resource Office attended the Symposium on
the Ecology, Habitat, and Management of Lake Trout in North America from
August 14th to 17th in Whitehorse, Yukon. The symposium brought state and
federal management agencies and researchers together to share jurisdictional
management approaches, problems, and recent developments regarding lake
trout stocks in North America. As co-chair of the Modeling Subcommittee
(MSC) of the Technical Fisheries Committee (TFC), biologist Woldt gave
two oral presentations and was a co-author of another. The TFC is a committee
of representatives of the seven parties to the 2000 Consent Decree that
oversees Decree implementation. The 2000 Consent Decree is a 20-year negotiated
agreement that allocates fish stocks in 1836 Treaty waters of the upper
Great Lakes among parties. The MSC annually updates lake trout and whitefish
population models and calculates yearly harvest limits. Woldt''s first
talk was a plenary address describing the current status and management
of lake trout stocks in Michigan waters of the Great Lakes. Special emphasis
was placed on the interjurisdictional nature of Great Lakes lake trout
management. Woldt provided Lake Huron data, and data from lakes Superior
and Michigan were provided by Jory Jonas and Shawn Sitar of the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources. The talk highlighted contributions from
all resource agencies conducting lake trout research in Michigan waters
of the Great Lakes. These agencies include the Service, Michigan Department
of Natural Resources, Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority, Unites States
Geological Survey-Great Lakes Science Center, Bay Mills Indian Community,
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little Traverse Bay
Bands of Odawa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, and Sault
Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Woldt''s second talk focused on the
current status and management of lake trout in northern Lake Huron. The
talk highlighted the workings of the MSC and TFC and described how the
MSC uses statistical-catch-at-age models to monitor progress towards rehabilitation
for lake trout stocks in 1836 Treaty waters. Conference attendees
provided constructive feedback that should aid our stock assessment and
modeling efforts. Valued discussion topics included the following: how
to better estimate natural mortality, the affects of hooking mortality
in live release fisheries, and the importance of incorporating all stake-holder
input into resource management decisions.
Resource Outputs: The
symposium was a great opportunity to present the modeling approaches of
the MSC and the status of lake trout stocks in 1836 Treaty waters to a
wide audience with experience in lake trout management. Conference attendees
provided constructive input on lake trout management and rehabilitation
that should aid our rehabilitation efforts in the Great Lakes.
Partners: Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority, United
States Geological Survey-Great Lakes Science Center, Bay Mills Indian Community,
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little Traverse Bay
Bands of Odawa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Sault Ste.
Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
