DNR Asks Anglers for Assistance With Lake Michigan and Huron Trout and Salmon Studies

[GLF]

DNR Asks Anglers for Assistance With Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Trout and Salmon Studies

The Department of Natural Resources is asking anglers to be on the lookout for coded-wire tagged (CWT) chinook salmon and steelhead. These fish can be identified by having only the adipose fin removed or "clipped." Fish with only the adipose fin removed carry a tiny internal wire tag that is injected into the snout of the fingerling at the hatchery prior to stocking; the tag contains information on the date and location of stocking. Information concerning angler harvest of these tagged fish is needed as part of several ongoing research projects.

"Since 1990, more than 15 million trout and salmon have been marked with adipose fin clips and coded-wire tags, and anglers have helped us recover more than 75,000 of these tags," said Dave Clapp, manager of the Department's Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station. "Angler cooperation is an essential component of fish marking programs, and the result of these cooperative efforts is more abundant and healthier fish for the sport fishery."

Anglers catching a CWT trout or salmon should remove the head or the portion of the snout where the CWT should be located by cutting from behind the eyes to the back corner of the mouth. Place the snout in a plastic bag and freeze. Along with the snout the angler should record the following data; the date and closest port or location where the fish was caught, the measured length, and the weight (if possible), along with angler contact information. A printable CWT data form is available online at:http://www.michigan.gov/documents/coded_wire_tag_form-PR8550_35853_7.pdf.

A letter telling where and when their fish was released and the age of the fish at the time it was harvested will be sent to every angler who includes their name and address along with the catch data. The data form should be put in a separate plastic bag and placed inside a larger plastic bag along with snout/head. This will assure that the data will stay dry and be legible when the snout is processed later in the lab.

Anglers should take the head/snout to one of our CWT head drop sites. A list of these can be found on the DNR Web site at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/coded-wire-tag-drop-sites-July-2006_165267_7.pdf or by calling the Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station office at (231) 547-2914.

Additional information concerning the Fisheries Division Coded-Wire Tag Program can be found on the DNR Web site at http://www.michigan.gov/taggedfish.

[Teacher]

This should be doable. I just have to remember to bring pen and paper along with plastic baggies...no big deal. There is usually a person at the launch that asks to check for tagged fish. With the economy as it is they may be cutting back on personnel...H.

[ginger]

Do you know if there doing this on the wis side?

[EdB]

It is my understanding all planted kings in Lk Mi for the last 2 years plants are coded wire tagged with adipose fins clips. This springs plants will be the 3rd yr. All states are cooperating. One more year and all planted kings will be adipose clipped and wild spawned fish will not. This will allow the DNR to study exactly how many wild fish are entering Lk Mi from natural reproduction. I'm pretty sure the biologists in Wi are interested in angler input on what we are getting. I'm sure the federal biologists are collecting heads but not sure about Wi state bio's.

[Peelen Good]

Anything to help our fishery.

[silver vixen]

Great Idea but seem the state of mi does not fullfill there end of the deal

left fish with all the forms filled out in freezer at fishermans landing muskegon when i put the 2nd fish in 1st was still there 30 days later called charlivoix head quarters was told it was handled by interns

put 3rd fish there 2months later fish were still there

not waisting my time anymore

[EdB]

Charles, they'll get them, so don't give up. I have never turned a head in and not gotten a plant slip back from the DNR. That is why they use freezers, those heads will be fine in there for months. They don't do any of the work on the heads until winter anyways, all the techs and biologists are working outdoors in our streams and lakes this time of year. They'll be sitting in the freezers for months regardless. I always find it interesting to learn when and where they planted the fish we catch. Got a king off St Joe planted in the Ausable before.

[Bluefinn Fisher]

This is also available thru Dan Okeefe

Salmon Ambassadors

Chinook Angler Data Project

This project asks anglers to provide information that will improve understanding of how natural reproduction and stocking affect Chinook salmon fisheries. In addition to providing data, participants will help answer specific questions of local interest in years to come.

Mass marking efforts led by USFWS enabled the marking of all hatchery-reared Chinook salmon stocked into Lake Michigan and Lake Huron beginning in 2011. This means that stocked age 3 fish caught in 2013 will not necessarily be marked with an adipose fin clip (AD clip) and coded wire tag (CWT). During the 2013 pilot season we hope to use your feedback on data collection procedures to develop a much larger volunteer base for the 2014 season, when the vast majority of stocked Chinook salmon will be marked.

FYI - see web page: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/explore/fisheries/salmon-ambassadors/