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MDNR Report
Electrofishing a Valuable Tool to Fish Managers
On a rainy August morning, three men dressed in dark-shaded green chest waders and rain jackets slowly make their way up the chilly waters of the Rock River in Alger County.
Two of the men carry long white poles with boxed ends in one rubber-gloved hand and a fishing net in the other.
From each of the two men, a yellow electrical cord runs downstream to an equipment box in a small aluminum boat, which is being pulled up the river by the third man.
As the men wave the white poles under the stream banks and overhanging trees, large and small brook trout emerge, floating sideways or upside down in the creek.
Quickly, the fish are netted and moved to a plastic bin filled with water in the bottom of the boat. The men pull the boat to the shore and begin measuring fish and collecting information on each of them.
They work quickly to release the fish safely back into the stream.
This process is called electrofishing, performed by state fisheries biologists and technicians.
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The Dowagiac Conservation Club will host a Hunter Safety Class August 23-25 with registration set for Wednesday at the clubhouse.
The course will be held at the club from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. August 23 and 24 and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. August 25.
There is no charge for the class but students must pre-register with a birth certificate and attend all three classes to get their Hunter Safety Certification.
For more information, call Furmer, 269-646-9839.
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By Louie Stout
DNR Shuts Down Eagle Lake Parking Area
The Michigan DNR has blocked access to its Eagle Lake access parking property, prohibiting boaters who use the older boat ramp north of the area from parking there.
According to Gary Jones, the move was made when Cass County Ontwa Township officials complained of overcrowding of people and traffic along Eagle Lake road near the parking area.
The DNR bought the property more than three years ago and has allowed public parking there ever since. The grassy area is part of a new proposed DNR boating access site that has been tied up in litigation for nearly four years.
Boaters were using the property to park their trailers after launching at the existing launch along the roadside north of the parking area. That changed late last week when the DNR placed large boulders along the roadside to prevent people from parking there.
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MDNR Report
DNR Conservation Officers Seize 2,000 Pounds of Illegal Crayfish
More than 2,000 pounds of live, illegal red swamp crayfish recently were seized by Michigan DNR conservation officers - the largest aquatic invasive species seizure by the Michigan DNR.
Red swamp crayfish are prohibited in both Michigan and Canada. They burrow and create shoreline erosion, creating instability. Additionally, they compete with native crayfish, reducing the amount of food and habitat available for amphibians, invertebrates and juvenile fish.
Conservation officers in St. Clair County were notified July 13 by U.S. Customs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when a commercial hauler transporting red swamp crayfish was denied entry into Canada and would be returning to Michigan. The commercial hauler was stopped by Canadian officials at the Sarnia, Canada border crossing in an attempt to leave the United States.
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Deer hunters are reminded they can apply for a Michigan antlerless deer license July 15 to Aug. 15.
Some areas of the state have a limited number of antlerless deer license applications available, making applying for that deer management unit important for some. Private-land applications do require a landowner phone number, so have it ready.
Young hunters, 16 and under, can buy antlerless deer licenses over the counter July 15- Aug. 15.
Any leftover licenses that remain will go on sale Sept. 10 at 10 a.m.Â
For more details about antlerless deer hunting and to buy an application online, visit michigan.gov/deer.Â