Vol. 10 No. 9August 2012

Fisheries & Aquatic Resources ProgramU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region

Fisheries & Aquatic Resources ProgramFisheries & Aquatic Resources ProgramFisheries & Aquatic Resources ProgramFisheries & Aquatic Resources ProgramFisheries & Aquatic Resources Program

Fish Passagein the Ozark Highlands

of Missouri

Sinkholes

2 Fish Lines / August 2012 Table of Tontents

The Mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plantsand their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

The vision of the Service’s Fisheries Program is working with partners to restore and maintain fish and other aquaticresources at self-sustaining levels and to support Federal mitigation programs for the benefit of the American public.Implementing this vision will help the Fisheries Program do more for aquatic resources and the people who value and dependon them through enhanced partnerships, scientific integrity, and a balanced approach to conservation.

To view other issues of “Fish Lines,” visit our website at:http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Fisheries/library/fishlines.htm

Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Program - Midwest Region

-USFWS

Corey Puzach from the La Crosse Fish Health Center collects measurements ona yellow perch captured from Pendills Lake for viral and bacterial pathogenscreening.

Features

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Fish Passage in the Ozark Highlandsof MissouriThe Little Niangua River is the most important stream for theNiangua darter.BY HEATHER CALKINS, COLUMBIA FWCO AND RICK HANSEN, COLUMBIA FIELD OFFICE

SinkholesSinkholes are a unique geological feature to northeast Michigan.BY HEATHER RAWLINGS, ALPENA FWCO

3Fish Lines / August 2012Table of Tontents

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From Russia with YFrom Russia with YFrom Russia with YFrom Russia with YFrom Russia with YessessessessessBY SCOTT YESS, LA CROSSE FWCOBY SCOTT YESS, LA CROSSE FWCOBY SCOTT YESS, LA CROSSE FWCOBY SCOTT YESS, LA CROSSE FWCOBY SCOTT YESS, LA CROSSE FWCO

Mussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipBY NABY NABY NABY NABY NATHAN ECKERTHAN ECKERTHAN ECKERTHAN ECKERTHAN ECKERTTTTT, GENOA NFH, GENOA NFH, GENOA NFH, GENOA NFH, GENOA NFH

Going GREENGoing GREENGoing GREENGoing GREENGoing GREENBY RANDY OBERMILLER, PENDILLS CREEK NFHBY RANDY OBERMILLER, PENDILLS CREEK NFHBY RANDY OBERMILLER, PENDILLS CREEK NFHBY RANDY OBERMILLER, PENDILLS CREEK NFHBY RANDY OBERMILLER, PENDILLS CREEK NFH

DrDrDrDrDr. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty Fellow -. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty Fellow -. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty Fellow -. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty Fellow -. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty Fellow -His First County FairHis First County FairHis First County FairHis First County FairHis First County FairBY KABY KABY KABY KABY KAY HIVELY HIVELY HIVELY HIVELY HIVELYYYYY, , , , , FRIENDS OF THE NEOSHO NFHFRIENDS OF THE NEOSHO NFHFRIENDS OF THE NEOSHO NFHFRIENDS OF THE NEOSHO NFHFRIENDS OF THE NEOSHO NFH

Stocking of WStocking of WStocking of WStocking of WStocking of Walleye and Yalleye and Yalleye and Yalleye and Yalleye and Yellow Perchellow Perchellow Perchellow Perchellow PerchBY JORGE BUENING, GENOA NFHBY JORGE BUENING, GENOA NFHBY JORGE BUENING, GENOA NFHBY JORGE BUENING, GENOA NFHBY JORGE BUENING, GENOA NFH

Historic Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleBY ANN RUNSTROM, LA CROSSE FWCOBY ANN RUNSTROM, LA CROSSE FWCOBY ANN RUNSTROM, LA CROSSE FWCOBY ANN RUNSTROM, LA CROSSE FWCOBY ANN RUNSTROM, LA CROSSE FWCO

Earth TEarth TEarth TEarth TEarth Tracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth ZooBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

An “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

WWWWWe’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!BY ANGELA BARAN, GENOA NFHBY ANGELA BARAN, GENOA NFHBY ANGELA BARAN, GENOA NFHBY ANGELA BARAN, GENOA NFHBY ANGELA BARAN, GENOA NFH

Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!BY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

Fish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCO

2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a SuccessBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFHARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

Spring Search for Invasive Eurasian Ruffe inSpring Search for Invasive Eurasian Ruffe inSpring Search for Invasive Eurasian Ruffe inSpring Search for Invasive Eurasian Ruffe inSpring Search for Invasive Eurasian Ruffe inNortheast MichiganNortheast MichiganNortheast MichiganNortheast MichiganNortheast MichiganBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCOBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCO

Rapid ResponseRapid ResponseRapid ResponseRapid ResponseRapid ResponseBY NICHOLAS BLOOMFIELD, LA CROSSE FWCOBY NICHOLAS BLOOMFIELD, LA CROSSE FWCOBY NICHOLAS BLOOMFIELD, LA CROSSE FWCOBY NICHOLAS BLOOMFIELD, LA CROSSE FWCOBY NICHOLAS BLOOMFIELD, LA CROSSE FWCO

Motorboat Operator Certification CourseMotorboat Operator Certification CourseMotorboat Operator Certification CourseMotorboat Operator Certification CourseMotorboat Operator Certification CourseOpen-WOpen-WOpen-WOpen-WOpen-Water Moduleater Moduleater Moduleater Moduleater ModuleBY ADAM KOWBY ADAM KOWBY ADAM KOWBY ADAM KOWBY ADAM KOWALSKI, ALPENA FWCO AND DAALSKI, ALPENA FWCO AND DAALSKI, ALPENA FWCO AND DAALSKI, ALPENA FWCO AND DAALSKI, ALPENA FWCO AND DAVEVEVEVEVEWEDAN, LA CROSSE FWCOWEDAN, LA CROSSE FWCOWEDAN, LA CROSSE FWCOWEDAN, LA CROSSE FWCOWEDAN, LA CROSSE FWCO

Summer 2012 YSummer 2012 YSummer 2012 YSummer 2012 YSummer 2012 Youth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHBY DOUG ALOISI, GENOA NFHBY DOUG ALOISI, GENOA NFHBY DOUG ALOISI, GENOA NFHBY DOUG ALOISI, GENOA NFHBY DOUG ALOISI, GENOA NFH

Aquatic Organism Passage Project on the WAquatic Organism Passage Project on the WAquatic Organism Passage Project on the WAquatic Organism Passage Project on the WAquatic Organism Passage Project on the WestestestestestBranch of the Sturgeon RiverBranch of the Sturgeon RiverBranch of the Sturgeon RiverBranch of the Sturgeon RiverBranch of the Sturgeon RiverBY JOSEPH GERBYSHAK, ALPENA FWCOBY JOSEPH GERBYSHAK, ALPENA FWCOBY JOSEPH GERBYSHAK, ALPENA FWCOBY JOSEPH GERBYSHAK, ALPENA FWCOBY JOSEPH GERBYSHAK, ALPENA FWCO

Paupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromiseBY WYBY WYBY WYBY WYBY WYAAAAATT DOYLE, COLUMBIA FWCOTT DOYLE, COLUMBIA FWCOTT DOYLE, COLUMBIA FWCOTT DOYLE, COLUMBIA FWCOTT DOYLE, COLUMBIA FWCO

Midwest Region Fisheries DivisionsFisheries ContactsFish Tails

Fish Lines is produced by the Fisheries andAquatic Resources Program, Region 3, U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, Minne-sota. Items included are selected frommonthly reports submitted by Region 3fisheries offices. Photos included are used bypermission and may be copyrighted.

Equal opportunity to participate in, andbenefit from programs and activities of theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is available toall individuals regardless of race, color,national origin, sex, age, disability, religion,sexual orientation, status as a parent andgenetic information. For information contactthe U.S. Department of Interior, Office forEqual Opportunity, 1849 C Street N.W.,Washington, DC 20240

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Printed on 30% Recycled by Fiber Weight Paper

Conservation Briefs 6-19...................................................................

2012 Vol. 10 No. 9

ASSISTANT REGIONAL DIRECTORTodd Turner

To submit suggestions or comments, e-maildavid_radloff@fws.gov

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Midwest RegionFisheries & Aquatic Resources Program1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, MN 55111

Phone: 612/713-5111

-USFWS/ColbyWrasse-USFWS/ColbyWrasse-USFWS/ColbyWrasse-USFWS/ColbyWrasse-USFWS/ColbyWrasseBrett Witte, Heather Calkins and Hilary Meyerremove shovelnose sturgeon from a gill net aspart of standard sampling for the Pallid SturgeonPopulation Assessment Project.

4 Fish Lines / August 2012 Featured Articles

Fish Passage in the OzarkFish Passage in the OzarkFish Passage in the OzarkFish Passage in the OzarkFish Passage in the OzarkHighlands of MissouriHighlands of MissouriHighlands of MissouriHighlands of MissouriHighlands of Missouri

BY HEATHER CALKINS, COLUMBIA FWCO AND RICK HANSEN, COLUMBIA FIELD OFFICE

In 1994, recovery team members from theMissouri Department of Conservation (MDC) andthe Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ecological Ser-

vices Program realized that low water crossingswere a major threat to recovery of the Niangua

darter. Low water crossings were varied in lengthand height and had different sized culverts to allowfor passage of water. Unfortunately, in most cases theculverts prevented the movement of aquatic organ-isms including the Niangua darter. The bottom ofsome culverts were over eight feet higher than thedownstream bottom elevation of the stream, prevent-ing fish from making their way upstream throughthese perched culverts. The recovery team workedwith both county and state highway departments todesign a better crossing (piered structures) thatwould provide a safer bridge for the public andwould also allow for aquatic organism pas-sage. Unfortunately, these piered struc-tures were expensive and could not bebuilt without financial assistance.

The Little Niangua River is the mostimportant stream for the Nianguadarter. It was decided that replace-ments of these low water crossingswould be a priority. Fourteen bridgesare located on the Little NianguaRiver within the range of theNiangua darter. Four are piered andnot an impediment to aquatic organisms.

In 2004, the Columbia Fish and Wildlife ConservationOffice (FWCO) and the MDC teamed up through theNational Fish Passage Program (NFPP) to replacefive low-water crossings in the Little Niangua RiverFor further info about the Columbia FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/columbiafisheries/

-Missouri DOC/NicoleStevensonThreatened Niangua Darter

watershed. Other partners that have made the re-placements possible include the Dallas and HickoryCounty Commissions, Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency (FEMA) and Missouri ConservationHeritage Foundation (MCHF). An additional fourcrossings have been replaced using Little NianguaRiver Region Missouri Department of Transportationstream mitigation funds. To date, nine low watercrossings have been replaced and the final crossing inthis watershed was funded this year through NFPP.

The Griffith Road crossing is the last, but not theleast of the barriers, and once completed, more than50 miles of contiguous stream habitat will be recon-nected. MDC scientist Dr. Doug Novinger has beenstudying changes in Niangua darter populations inresponse to these projects. They’ve found Nianguadarters upstream of most of the replaced crossingsand an increase in overall species diversity. In mid-May, I had the opportunity to join Doug and personnelfrom the MDC crew to snorkel the Griffith Road site.Several Niangua darters were spotted below thestructure, but none above. Hopefully by the next timethis site is sampled, once the crossing has been re-placed, we will find Niangua darters utilizing the

newly available upstream habitat. I really appreciateDoug’s willingness to allow our assistance and learnmore about how the Little Niangua River watershedhas responded to the crossing replacements thatreceived some funding through the National FishPassage Program.

-USFWS/HeatherCalkinsGriffith Road is the final crossing to be replaced in the Little Niangua River watershed, to provideuninhibited passage to the threatened Niangua darter.

5Fish Lines / August 2012Featured Articles

SinkholesSinkholesSinkholesSinkholesSinkholesBY HEATHER RAWLINGS, ALPENA FWCO

Sinkholes are a unique geological feature tonortheast Michigan. Many of the lakes in thelocal area are actually sinkholes that have a

layer of clay at the bottom, which acts as a plug tohold water. Several of these lakes have been knownto periodically drain when the plug gives way everyfew years. Some sinkholes are perpetually dry and

some fill and empty with water seasonally. Cavities inthe layer of limestone found beneath the glacial tillthat makes up northeast Michigan’s surface soilsoccasionally collapse as water dissolves the lime-stone, creating sinkholes, or the smaller versionlocally known as “swallow” holes.

Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO)and the Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS) teamed up to organize and lead a field trip tosinkholes near Onaway, Michigan, for Wilson Elemen-tary School’s fifth grade classes (Alpena PublicSchools). Alpena FWCO staff members includedAnjanette Bowen, Joseph Gerbyshak and HeatherRawlings. Maureen Stine from NRCS assisted in thetrip and was able to provide items from her outdoorrecreation planning business, Natureology.

The site selected for the field trip is part of theMackinaw State Forest and is simply called the“Sinkhole Area.” On May 31st 50 children, two teach-ers and four parents were treated to a hike aroundShoepac Lake (an actively forming sinkhole lake) andaround the three dry sinkholes right next to the lake.Formation of the sinkholes was explained to the

group, and the children were asked to observe theirsurroundings by noting types of trees and common

vegetation, wildflowers, and the wildlife thatwere brave enough to make an appearance.

We noticed the effects of a wildfire thathad occurred 40 years ago, found badger

burrows, and snacked on the groups’perpetual favorite, wintergreen

leaves and berries. The group wasable to climb to the bottom ofone of the sinkholes and note thechange of temperature as theydescended. The other twosinkholes had viewing platforms.Once the children completedtheir hike around Shoepac Lake,they were able to fish withcomplimentary rods, reels andbait donated by Natureology.Two bluegill were caught, muchto the delight of the students.

The Alpena FWCO has beenworking with this specific groupof children since they were in 2nd

grade. We have been in their classroom once a monthwhile school is in session to teach a science lessonthat fits with their curriculum. This trip was part ofthe Alpena FWCO’s “Connecting Children withNature Program”, and our intent is to repeatedlyexpose a select group of children to the natural worldand assist with teaching their science curriculum tomake it “fun” as well as educational.

At the end of the 2012 school year (as the childrenmove on to junior high), we will compare testing andbehavioral scores with children that were not ex-posed to our tutelage, to see if there are any differ-ences. This was our last contact with this group ofchildren, and we wanted to make it memorable.

For further info about the Alpena FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/alpena/index.htm

-USFWSStudents and their teacher, Jeff Jones, pose at a sinkhole overlook during their hike around three drysinkholes.

6 Fish Lines / August 2012 Tonservation Briefs

Partnerships are essential for effectivefisheries conservation. Many agencies,organizations, and private individuals areinvolved in fisheries conservation andmanagement, but no one can do it alone.Together, these stakeholders combineefforts and expertise to tackle challengesfacing fisheries conservation. The successof these partnerships will depend onstrong, two-way communications andaccountability.

Partnerships and Accountability

From Russia with YFrom Russia with YFrom Russia with YFrom Russia with YFrom Russia with YessessessessessBY SCOTT YESS, LA CROSSE FWCO

It was an honor to represent the Fish and WildlifeService this spring at the Great Rivers Interna-

tional Scientific and Industrial Forum in NizhnyNovgorod, Russia. After landing in Moscow and ashort day tour of this historic city, we took the bullettrain to Nizhny Novgorod. The setting for this bigrivers Forum was on the banks of the Volga River.The Volga is the largest river in Europe and likemany of our great rivers has had significant alter-ations due to the construction of hydro dams andtransporting commerce.

The Great Rivers International Scientific andIndustrial Forum was attended by over 2,600 scien-tists and professionals in the water resource field.From the opening ceremony, which was a fantasticmix of traditional song and dance accompanied bypresentations from the dignitaries attending theForum, it was extremely informative and entertain-ing.

For mycontribution tothis Forum Iwas asked toprepare a posterdescribing theUpper Missis-sippi River Conservation Committee. In addition,during a fisheries break out session, I gave a presen-tation on the Lake Sturgeon Restoration Project inthe Red River basin. To my surprise, the questions Ireceived from the audience were not centered on lakesturgeon but their focus was on our regulations.Currently Russia has very few regulations and thereis a push to implement a license fee and harvest limits.Of course, there are vocal supporters on both sides ofthis issue.

Another aspect of the conference, which I wasexcited to attend, was the United Nations Educa-tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) breakout session which focused on inputsof Biosphere Reserves and Local Population. In theVolga River basin, there are 11 UNESCO BiosphereReserves. Managers from each of the reserves werein attendance and presented a brief update on thestatus and accomplishments for their station. It wasextremely interesting to see how much was beingdone with limited funds. Unfortunately, we did nothave time to visit any of the reserves; however, onthe last evening in Nizhny Novgorod, we weretreated to a wonderful boat tour of the Volga River.

I would also like to state how fantastic PeterWard was as our interpreter. Peter works for ourInternational Affairs Office and he speaks fluentRussian. Having lived in Moscow, he also knows theculture and history of this interesting country. Wealso had the pleasure of travelling with Dr. DaleBruns from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. Dale isan expert on frac sand mining. It was a pleasure tohave met and travelled with both Peter and Dale.

For further info about the La Crosse FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/lacrossefisheries/

-USFWSScott Yess (left) and Dale Bruns (right) were members of the United Statesdelegation at the recent Great Rivers Scientific and Industrial Forum in Russia.

Mussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipMussel Cage Program PartnershipBY NATHAN ECKERT, GENOA NFH

As we move from June into July, the musselculture program at Genoa National Fish Hatch-

ery (NFH) has placed its’ final few mussel cages in theMississippi River for this season. Even though therewere some bumps along the way, we had a successful

year getting mussels onto the host fish and the fishstocked into our cages. The final few cages to beplaced this year went to the St. Croix River at ourculture location near Stillwater, Minnesota.

7Fish Lines / August 2012

Over 90 cages were placed at four locationsranging from Fairport, Iowa, up to the St. CroixRiver. This represents a propagation effort for ninespecies, three of which are federally endangered(Higgins’ eye, snuff-box and sheepnose). As the pro-gram grows, we hope to add new species and improveresults with our normal propagation list. With lowwater levels and high temperatures for most of thesummer, we anticipate having good results whenthese cages are examined in the fall.

This effort would not be possible without the helpof our partners and volunteers. Over 20 local volun-teers from Friends groups assisted with the construc-tion of mussel cages last winter, and personnel fromthe Minnesota Department of Natural Resources(DNR), Iowa DNR, Illinois DNR, National ParkService, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Fishand Wildlife Service’s Rock Island Field Office as-sisted with the placement of cages at various pointsthis spring. It was truly a group effort! Hopefully,favorable conditions will persist and we will havemany sub-adult mussels to stock into the waters ofthe Upper Mississippi River system.

-USFWSAgency personnel help place mussel cages on the St. Croix River. Partners fromthe Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois Departments of Natural Resources, NationalPark Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Rock Island Field Officeassisted with the placement of cages at various sites this spring.

For further info about the Genoa NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/genoa/

Going GREENGoing GREENGoing GREENGoing GREENGoing GREENBY RANDY OBERMILLER, PENDILLS CREEK NFH

For several years, Pendills Creek National FishHatchery (NFH) has had “Green” initiatives

established in an effort to reduce energy costs andlessen the amount of waste going into local landfills.Those programs included collection and recycling ofused motor oil and recycling fluorescent lamps. Wehave a special container designed to store used motoroil which is then sent to a recycling facility. Thehatchery also buys refined and recycled oil to use inits hatchery vehicles. A fluorescent lamp recyclingprogram is also in place. A recycling box is furnishedby a bulb recycling company.

With funding from the American Recovery &Reinvestment Act, Pendills Creek NFH recentlyinstalled energy efficient T-8 lights in the office, tankand break rooms in its main facility building. Theselights have increased energy efficiency and achievedenergy savings at the hatchery.

Existing incandescent ceiling lights in thehatchery’s raceway building will soon be replaced withdimmable energy saving high quality compact fluores-cent CFL bulbs. In addition, an office recycling pro-gram includes collection and recycling of the followingmaterials: computer paper, mixed paper, cardboard,

telephone books, catalogs, aluminum cans, glass andplastic bottles, batteries, light bulbs and ink jet tonercartridges. The program is user-friendly as recyclingbins have been placed throughout the facility. Thesematerials are then taken to a local community recy-cling drop off location and are diverted from thelandfill to be recycled and processed into new prod-ucts.

Signs have also been placed throughout the facilityreminding individuals when leaving a room, to turn offlights when not in use to save energy.

Recycling at the Pendills Creek NFH has becomemore and more a part of everyday life. It reduceswaste and saves raw materials from going into ourlocal landfills. With minimal effort, recycling is a quickand easy way to make a big difference in the environ-ment and save our natural resources.

Pendills Creek NFH, founded in 1951, is located inMichigan’s Upper Peninsula near Brimley, Michigan,on Lake Superior. The facility rears yearling laketrout to be released as part of the Great Lakes LakeTrout Rehabilitation Program. The hatchery producesone million lake trout that are released into LakeMichigan each spring.

For further info about the Pendills Creek NFH/Sullivan Creek NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Fisheries/library/StationFactSheets/pendills.pdf

Partnerships and Accountability

Tonservation Briefs

8 Fish Lines / August 2012 Tonservation Briefs

DrDrDrDrDr. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty. Charlie Collins Fisheries Faculty. Charlie Collins Fisheries FacultyFellow - His First County FairFellow - His First County FairFellow - His First County FairFellow - His First County FairFellow - His First County Fair

BY KAY HIVELY, FRIENDS OF THE NEOSHO NFH

Dr. Charlie Collins II attended his first county fairlast week. He helped to staff the fish hatchery

booth at the Newton County Fair where he experi-enced the sounds, smells and friendliness that marksmost country fairs.

Collins is spending three weeks at the NeoshoNational Fish Hatchery (NFH) as part of a summerFaculty Scholarship Program. Actually, he’s a pioneerin this experiment, which this year is a pilot program.Depending on the outcome, it may be extended forseveral years. The program is designed to send youngminority college faculty to Fish and Wildlife Servicesites to learn about the skill sets needed to performFor further info about the Neosho NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/neosho/

-USFWSAs part of the Faculty Scholarship Program at the Neosho National FishHatchery, Dr. Charlie Collins experienced his first county fair.

the various jobs there. This first year, five youngcollege teachers, like Dr. Collins from Kentucky StateUniversity, are taking part.

Collins was born and raised in Washington D. C.and, as a child; he became interested in improving theworld. “I read everything I could find about renew-able resources,” he said. Collins is excited about theprogram he is in. He sees endless possibilities forteachers to learn about fish and wildlife conservationand the kind of training it takes to work in the Fishand Wildlife Service. The teachers can then pass theinformation along to their students.

Collins and the other faculty participants in theprogram are learning that the Fish and WildlifeService needs people who are biologists, mechanics,secretaries, maintenance people, plumbers, educationspecialists and dozens of other professions.

While in Neosho, Missouri, he has participated inmost of the jobs there. He has loaded fish in trucks,stocked rainbow trout at Lake Taneycomo, done yardwork, helped with tours and is working on a brochurefor the hatchery.

Once he completes his tour at the Neosho NFH,he will spend three weeks at a La Crosse Fish HealthCenter located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. When the sixweeks are over, the entire five participants of thefaculty scholarship program will present papers ontheir work experiences.

Part of the work Dr. Collins experienced at theNeosho NFH was helping with educational outreach.As part of that job, Collins enjoyed his first countyfair. He was wishing his six-year-old son could bethere to see the animals, the people, the entertain-ment and all the activities at the fair.

The Neosho NFH is one of six facilities chosen toparticipate in this pilot program. Dr. Mamie Parker,now retired from her leadership role with the Fishand Wildlife Service in Washington DC, is the brain-child behind this new program.

All in all, you can bet Dr. Collins will have plentyto tell his son about a small county fair, and he willhave some unusual memories of Neosho, including thegreased pig contest!

Partnerships and Accountability

9Fish Lines / August 2012Tonservation Briefs

The Fisheries Program maintains andimplements a comprehensive set of toolsand activities to conserve and manageself-sustaining populations of native fishand other aquatic resources. These toolsand activities are linked to managementand recovery plans that help achieverestoration and recovery goals, providerecreational benefits, and addressFederal trust responsibilities. Soundscience, effective partnerships, andcareful planning and evaluation areintegral to conservation andmanagement efforts.

Aquatic Species Conservation and Management

Stocking of WStocking of WStocking of WStocking of WStocking of Walleye and Yalleye and Yalleye and Yalleye and Yalleye and Yellow Perchellow Perchellow Perchellow Perchellow PerchBY JORGE BUENING, GENOA NFH

During the month of June, Genoa National FishHatchery (NFH) stocked their first pond cul-

tured walleye and yellow perch fish from the 2012year class. These stockings are known as Phase 1

stockings and are implemented to meet specificmanagement objectives. These objectives generallyfocus more on the number of fish being stocked into anarea instead of the size of the fish being stocked.

Advantages ofphase 1 stock-ings are that thefish are smallerand easier totransport. Theyare also lessexpensive toproduce, due toless labor and food resources being devoted to themduring a shorter stay on station. More fish are alsoavailable for stocking do to a shortened time formortality from predation and competition. This year our Phase 1 stockings included sendingalmost 70,000 walleye to the Lac Courte OreillesTribe and 2,500 to the U.S. Geological Survey lab inLacrosse, Wisconsin. Nearly 40,000 yellow perchwere split between Green Island and Middle SabulaLake of the Mississippi River. We also restocked ourponds for further grow out for our fall harvest. Phase 1 stockings are a valuable tool for fishpopulation managers and fish culturists. It provides usour first chance to see how the fish are developingand surviving in their pond culture units, and we canmake changes accordingly. Hopefully our fish areadapting well to their new homes and we look for-ward to a busy fish-filled summer.

For further info about the Genoa NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/genoa/

Fish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeFish Health Survey on Pendills LakeBY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCO

On May 14-15, biologist Anjanette Bowen of theAlpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

(FWCO) assisted Cory Pusach from the La CrosseFish Health Center (FHC) with the collection of fishfrom Pendills Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan.Samples were taken from fish to determine if diseaseor pathogens are present in the lake, which is a back-up water supply for the Pendills Creek National FishHatchery. The hatchery raises lake trout for stockingin the upper Great Lakes, and fish health sampling isimportant to keep the hatchery disease and pathogenfree.

Fyke nets were used to sample fish from the lake.A Lake Superior State University student assisted

with netting during part of the survey. Six species offish were collected - brown bullhead, golden shiner,northern pike, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass andyellow perch. The total catch was recorded andlengths were measured on a representative samplefrom each species.

Kidney and spleen samples were collected from anumber of brown bullheads, pumpkinseed sunfish, rockbass and yellow perch to detect bacterial and viralpathogens. The samples will be processed at the LaCrosse FHC in Onalaska, Wisconsin. Laboratoryresults on the pathology of the samples will be avail-able at a later date.

-USFWSAs the culture pond is drained, Phase 1 (About one inch in length) yellow perchcome into the pond kettle where they are harvested, and later stocked out.

For further info about the Alpena FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/alpena/index.htm

10 Fish Lines / August 2012 Tonservation Briefs

Growing and stocking lake trout sounds simple andmindless in theory. How hard could it be, really?

Isn’t it just a matter of throwing them some food,loading them into a truck and hosing them off at thenearest boat landing? Not hardly. It is a vastly compli-cated process that starts years in advance before thefish are even hatched. It doesn’t just happen at the

local Department of Natural Resources or Fish andWildlife Service Office; it encompasses a plethora ofstate, federal and tribal agencies as well as conserva-tion clubs and other organizations such as the GreatLakes Fishery Commission.

Managing interjurisdictional fisheries can betricky. The 2000 Consent Decree was negotiatedbetween the State of Michigan and five Chippewa andOttawa tribes, to set forth standards in managing thefishery in 1836 Treaty waters of Lakes Superior,Michigan and Huron with the Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice being the United States representative, forimplementation of the Decree. Groups work togetherto evaluate the fisheries, assess the status of fishstocks, establish harvest limits, stock fish and controlparasitic sea lamprey which is all part of rehabilitat-ing lake trout in the Great Lakes.

2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a Success2012 Distribution Season a SuccessBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

Aquatic Species Conservation and Management

For further info about the Iron River NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ironriver/

From a hatchery standpoint, decisions are madeyears in advance on how many brood fish are neededto meet future goals for egg production and how oftengametes (eggs and milt) are to be collected from thewild to keep hatchery stocks genetically sound. Deci-sions are also made as to what strain of lake troutwill be raised and where it will be stocked; and oftentimes, studies are conducted with multiple strains oflake trout at a given site to determine what strain oflake trout survives best.

These studies will be even more helpful due to theimplementation of the mass marking program whichbegan in 2010. This program is a coordinated effortbetween all jurisdictions to mark (tag or clip) all troutand salmon stocked into the Great Lakes to evaluatewhether a fish caught in an assessment or by anangler is a native or hatchery fish. Information gath-ered from tagged fish could influence decisions on thestrain of lake trout and how many are being stockedfrom each hatchery.

Putting aside all the planning and technology thattakes place at each hatchery to make and grow a

healthy lake trout to stocking size, whether it leavesas a shore stocked fall fingerling or as a yearling, or isstocked off of the offshore stocking vessel M/V Spen-cer F. Baird as part of the main distribution season,the planning and collaborative processes that takesplace is commendable. Nearly a dozen Fish and Wild-life Service, Coast Guard and state Department ofNatural Resource offices work together in what isnearly a three month operation to stock fish on reefsin Lakes Michigan and Huron. The ending result isthis: Approximately 4.4 million lake trout werestocked in 2012, and we are in the process of makingit happen all over again for next year.

-USFWSStaff transfer lake trout for the Pendill’s Creek National Fish Hatchery distribu-tion truck to the offshore stocking vessel M/V Spencer F. Baird.

-USFWSPrior to stocking, lake trout are sent through a mass marking trailer where a finis removed and a coded-wire tag implanted.

11Fish Lines / August 2012Tonservation Briefs

Aquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic invasive species are one of themost significant threats to fish andwildlife and their habitats. Local andregional economies are severely affectedwith control costs exceeding $123 billionannually. The Fisheries Program hasfocused its efforts on preventingintroductions of new aquatic invasivespecies, detecting and monitoring newand established invasives, controllingestablished invasives, providing coordi-nation and technical assistance toorganizations that respond to invasivespecies problems, and developingcomprehensive, integrated plans to fightaquatic invasive species.

Aquatic Invasive Species

Spring Search for Invasive EurasianSpring Search for Invasive EurasianSpring Search for Invasive EurasianSpring Search for Invasive EurasianSpring Search for Invasive EurasianRuffe in Northeast MichiganRuffe in Northeast MichiganRuffe in Northeast MichiganRuffe in Northeast MichiganRuffe in Northeast Michigan

BY ANJANETTE BOWEN, ALPENA FWCO

Spring efforts were conducted to detect thepresence of Eurasian ruffe (ruffe) in northeastern

Michigan. The ruffe is a small invasive fish native toEurasia that is related to yellow perch and walleye.Ruffe only reach sizes of five to six inches and are notof value as a sport species; however, due to theirsmall size, they may compete with juvenile perch andother valuable bottom dwelling species for food andhabitat.

Ruffe were first found in the northeastern Michi-gan area in 1995, at the mouth of the Thunder BayRiver in Alpena. They produced a large year class in1999, and then their numbers declined abruptly. Ruffehave not been captured from the area since 2003.Spring surveillance for ruffe has been ongoing in theThunder Bay River since their disappearance; how-ever, anecdotal sightings of ruffe in the Trout River(Rogers City) and the Cheboygan River in recentyears have spurred the need for increased springsurveillance in these areas.

This spring, staff from the Alpena Fish and Wild-life Conservation Office (FWCO), with assistancefrom volunteers, conducted sampling in an effort todetect spawning-phase ruffe that may be present inrivers and near shore areas of northeast Michigan.

Boatelectrofishingand backpackelectrofishingwere used tosample down-stream areas ofthe Thunder BayRiver, TroutRiver (RogersCity), and Cheboygan River. Near shore areas ofRogers City, including the Swan River mouth, Calciteport and Rogers City marina, were also sampled. Noruffe were captured following a total of 270 minutesof effort. We will continue to sample for ruffe at theselocations during our fall trawling surveys. The falltrawling survey is an annual effort that targets ruffein near shore areas and river mouths across UnitedStates waters of Lake Huron and the St. Mary’sRiver.

Early detection and increased public awarenessabout invasive species may aid in slowing or prevent-ing their spread to new areas. For more informationabout ruffe, please visit the Aquatic Nuisance Species(ANS) Task Force website at http://anstaskforce.gov.

For further info about the Alpena FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/alpena/index.htm

Rapid ResponseRapid ResponseRapid ResponseRapid ResponseRapid ResponseBY NICHOLAS BLOOMFIELD, LA CROSSE FWCO

The Asian Carp Regional CoordinatingCommittee’s (ACRCC) Monitoring and Rapid

Response Work Group (MRRWG) initiated a rapidresponse at Lake Calumet, Illinois (IL) on July 11th.This action was taken in response to three consecu-tive water sampling events that returned positiveresults for silver carp DNA (24%, 7%, and 12% of allsamples collected on May 22nd, June 11th, and June25th, respectively).

The ACRCC’s 2012 Monitoring and Rapid Re-sponse Plan calls for a Level 1 response in this sce-nario, including the use of intensive electrofishing anddeployment of various commercial gears in a con-certed effort to capture live Asian carps. SimilarFor further info about the La Crosse FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/lacrossefisheries/

actions prompted earlier this year by positive resultsfor silver carp DNA yielded no Asian carps.

Our response took place July 11-13. Over 900hours of response effort yielded more than 30 speciesand 6,300 fish, but no Asian carps were observed orcaptured. This effort was well organized by theIllinois DNR and a great job was done by all whoparticipated. The amount of effort put forth wasevident by the many boats and floats scatteredthroughout the lake. Big thanks go out to Aaron andMatt for making up a great crew and not complainingonce about the extra effort required during the daysof intense heat.

12 Fish Lines / August 2012 Tonservation Briefs

As the population in the United Statescontinues to grow, the potential foradverse impacts on aquatic resources,including habitat will increase. At thesame time, demands for responsible,quality recreational fishing experienceswill also increase. The Service has along tradition of providingopportunities for public enjoyment ofaquatic resources through recreationalfishing, habitat restoration, andeducation programs and throughmitigating impacts of Federal waterprojects. The Service also recognizesthat some aquatic habitats have beenirreversibly altered by human activity(i.e. - dam building). To compensate forthese significant changes in habitat andlost fishing opportunities, managersoften introduce non-native specieswhen native species can no longersurvive in the altered habitat.

Public Use

Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!Butterflies Abound!BY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

It seems like the new buzzword these days ispollinator and rightly so. They are an integral part

of the world’s life cycle. Efforts to cultivate areaswhere pollinators can reproduce, feed and grow are ineffect across the country. At the Iron River NationalFish Hatchery (NFH), where it is commonplace tofind 1.65 million fish feeding and growing, a fourthpollinator garden is growing.

The Iron River Elementary School is located in asmall town eight miles south of the hatchery. Fifthgrade teacher Steve Lahti was contacted aboutparticipating once again in the fourth annual garden-ing event. On May 4th, 22 students arrived by 9:30a.m. for the first step in the gardening process: creat-ing stepping stones for the garden path.

In an effort to put more ownership into theproject, the students not only help plant the gardenbut they make their own stepping stones. Aftercuring, the stones are placed in a garden adjoininglast year’s garden, creating a path that allows hatch-

ery visitors toview their hardwork up closeand personal.Hatchery staffhope that stu-dents come backto view thegarden and showfamily andfriends theunique stonesthey made.Stones weredecorated withan assortment ofstamps, stones and shells.

Once the students smoothed out their concretemixtures, it was time to plant. Students spent theremainder of the morning weeding the connectinggardens and planting flowers in the new one. Afterlunch, the students toured the hatchery and decoratedtheir stepping stones. Students enjoyed light refresh-ments before cleaning up the work area and catchingthe bus back to school at the end of the day.

With a little bit of elbow grease and a lot of team-work, a very successful and rewarding project wasaccomplished. The students were able to learn aboutgardening and butterflies as well as gaining aware-ness of fish hatchery processes. Stay tuned for nextyear’s addition to the Iron River NFH’s butterflygarden with the new fifth grade class.

For further info about the Iron River NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ironriver/

-USFWSBiologist Carey Edwards assists 5th grade students from Iron River ElementarySchool plant perennials in the fourth annual butterfly garden located on thegrounds of the Iron River National Fish Hatchery.

-USFWSStudents make one-of-a-kind stepping stones for a unique path through thebutterfly garden at the Iron River National Fish Hatchery.

13Fish Lines / August 2012Tonservation Briefs

Public Use

WWWWWe’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!e’re Not Just About the Fish at Genoa NFH!BY ANGELA BARAN, GENOA NFH

In 2011, biologist Jennifer Bailey with the GenoaNational Fish Hatchery (NFH) attended archery

training at the National Conservation Training Cen-ter, becoming certified as not only a course instructorbut also as a Basic Archery Instructor Trainer tocertify others as archery instructors. Since complet-ing the training, Jen has implemented archery as acomponent to the Outdoor Classroom and Kid’sFishing Day, and as an instructional event for a localgirl scout troop. On June 22nd, she led a certification course for thestaff at the hatchery, local partners and members ofyouth organizations. By the end of the 8 hour training,all 11 participants passed and are now certified asUSA Archery Instructors. Immediately following the training, Genoa NFHwelcomed 43 kids and six staff from the La CrosseYMCA Summer Camp Program for a day at thehatchery. The kids were given a hatchery tour, andthen explored the Sense of Wonder Discovery Wet-land finding birds, frogs, butterflies and beetles.Afterwards, the kids were presented with a 45minute introduction to archery. The kids had a blastand by the end of the 2 ½ hrs. about 95% of the kidswere hitting the targets, and all of the kids were

-USFWSA group of youngsters receive archery instruction, practicing their drawbefore they pick up the bows!

For further info about the Genoa NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/genoa/

newly addicted to archery! This new component of thehatchery’s outreach program is continually growing asword spreads throughout the community. Anotherarchery day is scheduled for August with the LaCrosse YMCA.

An “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryAn “Eggciting” StoryBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

For the past ten years, raising trout and salmon inthe classroom has been common place in the

north woods of Wisconsin. The program started at theSuperior Middle School and has since spread toNorthwestern, Ashland and Bayfield Middle schools.What better way would there be to teach studentsabout the life history of trout and salmon than to havethem raise fish in the classroom? All it takes is a 30gallon aquarium, chiller unit and trout or salmon eggs.The equipment is quite costly, but with the help of twolocal sportsman’s group donating the funds for chillerand aquarium, the schools were up and running.

The last ingredient for the program was the eggsand Iron River National Fish Hatchery agreed toprovide lake trout eggs for the program. The studentswere educated about fish transportation regulationsand permitting requirements which are designed toprotect against disease transmission. They under-stood that the newly hatch fish could not be releasedinto the environment due to these rules and would behumanely euthanized at the end of the science project.

Nearly 900 students spread out in four schools,welcomed 500 eggs into each of their aquariums inmid-October. They monitored water temperature

14 Fish Lines / August 2012

Public Use

-USFWSLaurie Gucinski of the Iron River National Fish Hatchery answers questionsabout the coaster brook trout display at the Duluth Zoo.

Earth TEarth TEarth TEarth TEarth Tracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth Zooracks at the Duluth ZooBY CAREY EDWARDS, IRON RIVER NFH

For the past ten years, the Lake Superior Zoo inDuluth, Minnesota, has hosted an Earth Tracks

Day. The goal is to inspire students to be more envi-ronmentally conscientious and put thought into waysof not leaving their “tracks” on the Earth. Over 1,200students from area elementary and middle schoolsvisited the zoo on May 18 to take part in this greenevent. Making its fourth appearance was the Iron RiverNational Fish Hatchery (NFH). Biologist CareyEdwards set up a booth with fish replicas and aninteractive display that students could quiz them-selves on fish anatomy. Students also received fishtattoos or hatchery pencils for participation in thebooth. Many local businesses, organizations and govern-ment agencies were in attendance. These groupswere encouraged to set up hands-on displays wherechildren could learn about the environment thatsurrounds them and explore ways of decreasing theirimpact on Earth. This fun event is one of severalcollaborations the Iron River NFH has with the LakeSuperior Zoo, and we hope to continue this partner-ship in the future.For further info about the Iron River NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ironriver/

daily and made sure the conditions were perfect forthe developing fish. Excitement abounded when theeggs hatched, followed by surprise and disappoint-ment that the newly hatched fry sought shelter in the

gravel. After over 30 days of waiting, the eagerstudents began feeding the fish as they swam-up.Some aquariums have better success than others withanywhere from 12 to 200 fish surviving the durationof the project.

As part of the program, the hatchery agreed tocome to the classroom and continue the learningprocess with a presentation and hands-on lab to allthree classes. Biologist Carey Edwards brought thehatchery to life with a power point presentation andstudents were able to simulate egg enumeration inthe same manner that occurs at the hatchery. Thisinvolved displacing water with “eggs” (BB’s), record-ing data and calculating number of eggs per milliliter.Students were also presented with additional mathproblems that mimic day to day calculations occurringat the fish hatchery. This helped to strike home howimportant and frequently math is used in everydaylife.

This program is very rewarding for all involved.The school, sportsman’s club and hatchery are lookingforward to this fall, when the next group of studentsgets to learn about the life history of lake trout.

-USFWSAn Ashland Middle School student counts “eggs” into a graduated cylinder.

For further info about the Iron River NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ironriver/

Tonservation Briefs

15Fish Lines / August 2012Tonservation Briefs

Conserving this Nation’s fish and otheraquatic resources cannot be successfulwithout the partnership of Tribes; theymanage or influence some of the mostimportant aquatic habitats both on andoff reservations. In addition, theFederal government and the Servicehave distinct and unique obligationstoward Tribes based on trustresponsibility, treaty provisions, andstatutory mandates. The FisheriesProgram plays an important role inproviding help and support to Tribes asthey exercise their sovereignty in themanagement of their fish and wildliferesources on more than 55 million acresof Federal Indian trust land and intreaty reserved areas.

Cooperation with Native Americans

Historic Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleHistoric Event for Fish & PeopleBY ANN RUNSTROM, LA CROSSE FWCO

After a hiatus of nearly 100 years, and precededby 20 years of cooperative management efforts

between the La Crosse Fish and Wildlife Conserva-tion Office (FWCO), Wisconsin Department of Natu-ral Resources (DNR), and Menominee Tribe (Tribe),lake sturgeon were once again observed spawning atKeshena Falls on April 11th.

Keshena Falls is on the Wolf River within theboundaries of the Menominee Indian Reservation.When the Menominee people chose this location fortheir reservation in 1854, thousands of sturgeonspawned at Keshena Falls as they had done eachspring for thousands of years.

In 1892, a dam was constructed nine miles down-stream in Shawano, Wisconsin (WI), blocking fishmigration to Keshena Falls. The numbers of spawningfish dwindled sharply shortly after. Although the laststurgeon was observed on the reservation in 1959,lake sturgeon spawning at Keshena Falls had ceasedmany years prior.

La Crosse FWCO has been working with theMenominee Tribe and the Wisconsin DNR to restorea spawning lake sturgeon population to this reach ofthe Wolf River since 1992. Beginning in 1994, smallnumbers of adult and sub-adult lake sturgeon werereintroduced annually by capturing them downstreamand transferring them to various sites on the river

upstream of thedams. Theseefforts failed toresult in ob-served spawningactivity or anyevidence ofreproductivesuccess.

In 2011, theTribe enteredinto a Memoran-dum of Understanding with the DNR to transfer 100fish each year to this reach of the Wolf River for thenext ten years. Over 70 fish were transferred in thefall of 2011, and another 30 were reintroduced justprior to the spawning season in the spring of 2012.

Voila! Lake sturgeon spawned at Keshena Fallson April 11th, 2012. This was a much welcomed eventby the Menominee people who have a tradition ofholding a large celebration and dance upon the springarrival of these ancient fish. In anticipation of poten-tial spawning activity at Keshena Falls in 2012 (aswell as the vulnerability of the fish to illicit take atthis time) the Tribe posted 24-hour guards to protectany lake sturgeon here from attempts to harvest orharm the fish. Tribal members kept this round-the-clock vigil along the banks of the river for ten days toensure the safety of any lake sturgeon present at thehistoric spawning site.

Although it was a small number of fish and theiractivity lasted less than a day, it was a momentousoccasion for the Menominee people and the lakesturgeon. Word spread quickly throughout the com-munity and hundreds of people came to watch the fishas they spawned.

It is difficult for me to accurately describe themagnitude of this event or the overall importance oflake sturgeon in the cultural history of the Menomineepeople. From a career standpoint, I am certain torecall this as the most significant event and effortthat I have been a part of. It has been a humbling,rewarding and tremendous honor to partake in theefforts to return lake sturgeon to the Menomineepeople and their lands, and to share in the joy of thislake sturgeon homecoming!

-Thom SkeldingMenominee Tribal Chaiman Randal Chevalier,along with Wisconsin Depart-ment of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife Service biologists release alake sturgeon into the Wolf River near Keshena Falls on the Menominee IndianReservation.

For further info about the La Crosse FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/lacrossefisheries/

16 Fish Lines / August 2012 Tonservation Briefs

Science and technology form thefoundation of successful fish and aquaticresource conservation and are used tostructure and implement monitoringand evaluation programs that arecritical to determine the success ofmanagement actions. The Service iscommitted to following establishedprinciples of sound science.

Leadership in Science and Technology

`̀̀̀̀

What started as a sampling tool to find Asian carphas resulted in a much needed fishing net to

assess juvenile paddlefish populations. Columbia’sFish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) as-sisted the Iowa Department of Natural Resources(DNR) in a fishery survey at Desoto National WildlifeRefuge (NWR) to evaluate the impact of last year’sMissouri River flood to the oxbow lake.

When the lake was flooded in 1993, rotenone wasused to remove “rough” fish like carp, freshwaterdrum and bigmouth and smallmouth buffalo and pro-vide anglers with a more traditional sport fishery.However, following last year’s flood, refuge managerTom Cox decided to let the lake retain the fish fromthe river and enhance it with walleye from an IowaDNR hatchery.

While theIowa DNRelectrofished thelake, our officeused the new“paupier” net toassess the rough fish population. The paupier is a 12foot wide by 7 foot deep by 30 foot long net that restsoff the sides of the boat. It is raised and lowered onwinches and pushed by the boats outboard.

While the net has had moderate success withsmall Asian carp, it has proven very effective atcatching surface dwelling native species like crappieand paddlefish. We have sampled small numbers of 12-20 inch paddlefish in river surveys, but at DesotoNWR we sampled as many as 74 paddlefish in only afour minute run. There is no other tool to effectivelysample juvenile paddlefish except gill nets, a passivegear, which can be dependent on fish movement orflowing water. The active nature of the paupier netprovides a new and efficient tool for sampling paddle-fish.

The inability of management biologists to assessjuvenile paddlefish populations prevents the under-standing of what is needed for good recruitmentevents and how to set regulations for the next decadesince acceptable harvest sizes occur some ten yearslater. At least for Desoto Lake, there will be a futurepaddlefish population that may one day make it backto the Missouri River through control gates at theends of the lake or through another large flood. The“paupier” promises to be a needed tool for other stateagencies in assessing their paddlefish populations.

-USFWSThe Columbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation office used the paupier net tosurvey for rough fish at the Desoto National Wildlife Refuge.

For further info about the Columbia FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/columbiafisheries/

-USFWS/HeatherCalkinsSmall paddlefish were captured in a paupier net during a fishery survey at theDesoto National Wildlife Refuge.

Paupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromisePaupier Net Shows PromiseBY WYATT DOYLE, COLUMBIA FWCO

17Fish Lines / August 2012Tonservation Briefs

Loss and alteration of aquatic habitatsare principal factors in the decline ofnative fish and other aquatic resourcesand the loss of biodiversity. Seventypercent of the Nation’s rivers havealtered flows, and 50 percent ofwaterways fail to meet minimumbiological criteria.

Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Management

Aquatic Organism Passage Project onAquatic Organism Passage Project onAquatic Organism Passage Project onAquatic Organism Passage Project onAquatic Organism Passage Project onthe Wthe Wthe Wthe Wthe West Branch of the Sturgeon Riverest Branch of the Sturgeon Riverest Branch of the Sturgeon Riverest Branch of the Sturgeon Riverest Branch of the Sturgeon River

BY JOSEPH GERBYSHAK, ALPENA FWCO

Biologists Joseph Gerbyshak and HeatherRawlings of the Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conser-

(Above) The West Branch of the Sturgeon River at Lewis Road prior to theculvert replacement project, and (below); The new, bottomless culvert that willallow for uninhibited aquatic organism passage along with reducingsedimentation and thermal pollution.

-USFWS photos

vation Office(FWCO)worked withLisha Ramsdell of Huron Pines and the OtsegoCounty Road Commission to replace a culvert thatwas causing environmental harm at the intersectionof Lewis Road and the West Branch of the SturgeonRiver.

The undersized, failing culvert was replaced withan arched, bottomless structure that spans the bankfull width of the stream. The new structure allows foraquatic organism passage, reduces sediment loading,and decreases thermal pollution. Along with theculvert replacement, the road surface was hardenedwith Afton stone and runoff diversions were con-structed on the shoulders of the road, further reduc-ing the amount of sediment input to the stream fromthe road.

The West Branch of the Sturgeon River, a BlueRibbon Trout Stream, is a high quality, cold-watersystem. Brook trout, a native species to Michigan, areone of the many species that benefit from restoringcold-water habitat fragmented by inadequately sizedculverts at road-stream crossings. The protection ofcold-water systems, such as the West Branch of theSturgeon River, is becoming increasingly important tohelp ensure the sustainability of fish, wildlife, plantsand habitats in the face of accelerating climatechange.

Due to the increased importance of cold-watersystems, this watershed has been a focus area forother recent habitat improvement projects. Over thepast three years, two undersized culverts have beenreplaced directly upstream of the Lewis Road site,further opening passage to the headwaters that serveas vital spawning and rearing habitat. These projectscould not have been completed without the carefulplanning and cooperation of the Fish and WildlifeService, Huron Pines and the Otsego County RoadCommission.

For further info about the Alpena FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/alpena/index.htm

18 Fish Lines / August 2012 Tonservation Briefs

The Fisheries Program relies on a broadrange of professionals to accomplish itsmission: biologists, managers,administrators, clerks, animalcaretakers, and maintenance workers.Without their skills and dedication, theFisheries Program cannot succeed.Employees must be trained, equippedand supported in order to perform theirjobs safely, often under demandingenvironmental conditions, and to keepcurrent with the constantly expandingscience of fish and aquatic resourcemanagement and conservation.

Workforce Management

Summer 2012 YSummer 2012 YSummer 2012 YSummer 2012 YSummer 2012 Youth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHouth Hiring at Genoa NFHBY DOUG ALOISI, GENOA NFH

Genoa National Fish Hatchery (NFH) receivedfunding to allow us to hire a summer crew of

three Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) and threeStudent Temporary Experience Program (STEP)employees through a departmental budget initiativeentitled “Youth in the Great Outdoors”. After arandom drawing of eight summer applicants, TyClancy, Curtis Westfall and Hannah Strachan werechosen as the three YCC employees. Ty, Hannah andCurtis are all students from the Viroqua Area HighSchool and will be with us for the summer from Juneto August.

They are helping the hatchery staff catch up ongrounds maintenance, equipment repairs, and areeven going to be helping us with building nature trailsthrough our wetland area and outdoor classroom. Our

three STEPemployees thissummer areOrey Eckes,Paige Oldhamand ZacharyKumlin.

We arefortunate to beable to continue Orey’s appointment now that he isworking toward his Master’s Degree at the Univer-sity of Wisconsin, La Crosse. For his thesis, he islooking at the development of lake sturgeon eggs atseveral temperatures to determine the length of timeto reach each stage of development and to see whichtemperatures are most ideal for incubating the eggs.Stay tuned for future articles with the results!

Paige Oldham is also returning to us from HawaiiPacific University, where she is majoring in marinebiology. She is also not new to the hatchery. Paigeworked as a YCC employee over the summer of 2009and then came back in the summer of 2010 as a YCCcrew leader.

Zachary Kumlin is the newest STEP enrollee forthe station. Zach’s area of focus will be the mainte-nance department at the Genoa NFH, a new twist forthe station. In the past, the STEP program hasfocused primarily on giving up-and-coming biologistsopportunities for job related experience. Zach ismajoring in electro-mechanical technology at WesternTechnical Community College, and also has worked atthe hatchery many years ago (2007) in the YCCprogram. We look forward to working with all of ouryoung people and expect to hear many good reports oftheir future productivity!

For further info about the Genoa NFH: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/genoa/

-USFWSThe Genoa National Fish Hatchery Youth Conservation Crew work on a newhiking trail at the hatchery.

19Fish Lines / August 2012

For further info about the Alpena FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/alpena/index.htm

For further info about the La Crosse FWCO: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/lacrossefisheries/

Workforce Management

-USFWSStudents participate in a drill for the Open-Water Module of the MotorboatOperator Certification Course, reminding them that personal floatation devicesneed to be in proper working order and sized correctly.

Motorboat Operator CertificationMotorboat Operator CertificationMotorboat Operator CertificationMotorboat Operator CertificationMotorboat Operator CertificationCourse Open-WCourse Open-WCourse Open-WCourse Open-WCourse Open-Water Moduleater Moduleater Moduleater Moduleater Module

BY ADAM KOWALSKI, ALPENA FWCO AND DAVE WEDAN,LA CROSSE FWCO

Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC)instructors Adam Kowalski with the Alpena

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO), DaveWedan (Regional Watercraft Safety Coordinator,Lacrosse FWCO), Steve Witt with the National ParkService (NPS), Jason Johnson (NPS), Dave Wilkins(NPS), and Mike Larsen (NPS) put on a three dayOpen-Water Module training in Bayfield, Wisconsin,from May 15 to 17. The Open-Water Module is de-signed to give Department of Interior employeesadditional safety training, over and above the stan-dard MOCC training, for operating larger vessels onthe open waters of the Great Lakes and large inlandwaters.

Students were provided the tools, resources andknowledge required to safely operate a vessel on alarge water body. Focusing on the “Know Before YouGo” risk assessment concept, the course stresseschecking weather conditions and where to find localweather, marine information, and updates whileplanning and conducting any open water work. Crewsupervisors and operators (crew leader) must assessand prepare the crew he/she may be working with,confirming that their abilities, training, experienceand fitness level is equal to the task to be completedand prepared for all environmental and mission evolu-

tion challenges and situations. The course also offersexperience in navigation, using a chart and chartingtools with and without the aid of electronics, and howto operate and navigate using GPS and radar units.Students get the chance to operate larger-sizedvessels on one of the Great Lakes, in open-seas, andpossibly out of sight of land - conditions not usuallyseen on smaller inland lakes and rivers. Vessel main-tenance addresses minor breakdowns at sea, such asfouled spark plugs, how to replace them, and how totroubleshoot and deal with other mechanical issues.The students also experience “hands-on” experiencein what to do in case of an emergency, such as a crewmember overboard, vessel sinking, change in sea orweather conditions, in-water survival and rescues.

The Great Lakes Open-Water Module mandatesthe need to always file a float plan, how to fill out afloat plan, who should receive the float plan, and howto use the risk assessment Green-Amber-Red (GAR)model. The GAR model is a Coast Guard designedprocess used to calculate the risk of each missionfrom planning to completion.

An abandon ship drill was also added this year, inpartnership with the Coast Guard and NPS. Studentswere informed that their vessel was sinking, and theywere required to wear immersion suits in preparationof an abandon ship drill. After radioing a “May Day”call to the Coast Guard, the students entered thewater and were rescued. While in the water, thestudents were to account for everyone, check forinjuries, stay together, and continue to check on thecondition of each person at regular intervals. Instruc-tors were with the students at all times to facilitateproper communication and ensure the safety of every-one. A National Park Service vessel staffed withthree instructors was within sight and communicationfor the duration of the drill.

This course was a total success and everyonecompleted the training. Students reported that theylearned a great deal and felt the course was a greataddition to the regular MOCC because it preparedthem for open water boat handling and emergencysituations.

Tonservation Briefs

20 Fish Lines / August 2012

Midwest Region Fisheries Divisions

Fisheries Divisions

National Fish HatcheriesNational Fish HatcheriesNational Fish HatcheriesNational Fish HatcheriesNational Fish HatcheriesThe Region’s National Fish Hatcheries primarily focuson native fish restoration/rehabilitation by stockingfish and eggs, such as pallid and lake sturgeon and bydeveloping and maintaining brood stocks of selectedfish strains, such as lake trout and brook trout.Hatcheries also provide technical assistance to otheragencies, provide fish and eggs for research, stockrainbow trout in fulfillment of federal mitigationobligations and assist with recovery of native musselsand other native aquatic species.

Sea Lamprey Biological StationsSea Lamprey Biological StationsSea Lamprey Biological StationsSea Lamprey Biological StationsSea Lamprey Biological StationsThe Fish and Wildlife Service is the United StatesAgent for sea lamprey control, with two BiologicalStations assessing and managing sea lamprey popula-tions throughout the Great Lakes. The Great LakesFishery Commission administers the Sea LampreyManagement Program, with funding provided throughthe U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of theInterior, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Fish and WFish and WFish and WFish and WFish and Wildlife Conservation Officesildlife Conservation Officesildlife Conservation Officesildlife Conservation Officesildlife Conservation OfficesFish and Wildlife Conservation Offices conduct assess-ments of fish populations to guide management deci-sions, perform key monitoring and control activitiesrelated to invasive, aquatic species; survey and evalu-ate aquatic habitats to identify restoration/rehabilita-tion opportunities; play a key role in targeting andimplementing native fish and habitat restorationprograms; work with private land owners, states,local governments and watershed organizations tocomplete aquatic habitat restoration projects underthe Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife and theGreat Lakes Coastal Programs; provide coordinationand technical assistance toward the management ofinterjurisdictional fisheries; maintain and operateseveral key interagency fisheries databases; provide

Fish Health CenterFish Health CenterFish Health CenterFish Health CenterFish Health CenterThe Fish Health Center provides specialized fishhealth evaluation and diagnostic services to federal,state and tribal hatcheries in the region; conductsextensive monitoring and evaluation of wild fishhealth; examines and certifies the health of captivehatchery stocks; and, performs a wide range of specialservices helping to coordinate fishery program officesand partner organizations.

technical expertise to other Service programs ad-dressing contaminants, endangered species, federalproject review and hydro-power operation and re-licensing; evaluate and manage fisheries on Servicelands; and, provide technical support to 38 NativeAmerican tribal governments and treaty authorities.

Midwest Region Fisheries Field Offices

21Fish Lines / August 2012Tontact Information

Midwest Region Fisheries Tontacts

MichiganAlpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAlpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAlpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAlpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAlpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office480 W480 W480 W480 W480 West Fletcher St.est Fletcher St.est Fletcher St.est Fletcher St.est Fletcher St.Alpena, MI 49707Alpena, MI 49707Alpena, MI 49707Alpena, MI 49707Alpena, MI 49707Scott Koproski (Scott Koproski (Scott Koproski (Scott Koproski (Scott Koproski (scott_koproski@fws.govscott_koproski@fws.govscott_koproski@fws.govscott_koproski@fws.govscott_koproski@fws.gov)))))989/356-3052989/356-3052989/356-3052989/356-3052989/356-3052Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Ohio)

Jordan River National Fish HatcheryJordan River National Fish HatcheryJordan River National Fish HatcheryJordan River National Fish HatcheryJordan River National Fish Hatchery6623 T6623 T6623 T6623 T6623 Turner Roadurner Roadurner Roadurner Roadurner RoadElmira, MI 49730Elmira, MI 49730Elmira, MI 49730Elmira, MI 49730Elmira, MI 49730Roger Gordon (Roger Gordon (Roger Gordon (Roger Gordon (Roger Gordon (roger_gordon@fws.govroger_gordon@fws.govroger_gordon@fws.govroger_gordon@fws.govroger_gordon@fws.gov)))))231/584-2461231/584-2461231/584-2461231/584-2461231/584-2461

Ludington Biological StationLudington Biological StationLudington Biological StationLudington Biological StationLudington Biological Station229 South Jebavy Drive229 South Jebavy Drive229 South Jebavy Drive229 South Jebavy Drive229 South Jebavy DriveLudington, MI 49431Ludington, MI 49431Ludington, MI 49431Ludington, MI 49431Ludington, MI 49431Jeff Slade (Jeff Slade (Jeff Slade (Jeff Slade (Jeff Slade (jeff_slade@fws.govjeff_slade@fws.govjeff_slade@fws.govjeff_slade@fws.govjeff_slade@fws.gov)))))231/845-6205231/845-6205231/845-6205231/845-6205231/845-6205

Marquette Biological StationMarquette Biological StationMarquette Biological StationMarquette Biological StationMarquette Biological Station3090 Wright Street3090 Wright Street3090 Wright Street3090 Wright Street3090 Wright StreetMarquette, MI 49855-9649Marquette, MI 49855-9649Marquette, MI 49855-9649Marquette, MI 49855-9649Marquette, MI 49855-9649Katherine Mullett (Katherine Mullett (Katherine Mullett (Katherine Mullett (Katherine Mullett (katherine_mullett@fws.govkatherine_mullett@fws.govkatherine_mullett@fws.govkatherine_mullett@fws.govkatherine_mullett@fws.gov)))))906/226-1235906/226-1235906/226-1235906/226-1235906/226-1235

Pendills Creek/Sullivan CreekPendills Creek/Sullivan CreekPendills Creek/Sullivan CreekPendills Creek/Sullivan CreekPendills Creek/Sullivan CreekNational Fish HatcheryNational Fish HatcheryNational Fish HatcheryNational Fish HatcheryNational Fish Hatchery21990 W21990 W21990 W21990 W21990 West Test Test Test Test Trout Lanerout Lanerout Lanerout Lanerout LaneBrimleyBrimleyBrimleyBrimleyBrimley, MI 49715, MI 49715, MI 49715, MI 49715, MI 49715Curt Friez Curt Friez Curt Friez Curt Friez Curt Friez (((((curt_friez@fws.govcurt_friez@fws.govcurt_friez@fws.govcurt_friez@fws.govcurt_friez@fws.gov)))))906/437-5231906/437-5231906/437-5231906/437-5231906/437-5231

MissouriColumbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeColumbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeColumbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeColumbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeColumbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office101 Park Deville Drive; Suite A101 Park Deville Drive; Suite A101 Park Deville Drive; Suite A101 Park Deville Drive; Suite A101 Park Deville Drive; Suite AColumbia, MO 65203Columbia, MO 65203Columbia, MO 65203Columbia, MO 65203Columbia, MO 65203TTTTTracy Hill (racy Hill (racy Hill (racy Hill (racy Hill (tracy_hill@fws.govtracy_hill@fws.govtracy_hill@fws.govtracy_hill@fws.govtracy_hill@fws.gov)))))573/234-2132573/234-2132573/234-2132573/234-2132573/234-2132Area of Responsibility (Iowa, Missouri)Area of Responsibility (Iowa, Missouri)Area of Responsibility (Iowa, Missouri)Area of Responsibility (Iowa, Missouri)Area of Responsibility (Iowa, Missouri)

Neosho National Fish HatcheryNeosho National Fish HatcheryNeosho National Fish HatcheryNeosho National Fish HatcheryNeosho National Fish HatcheryEast Park StreetEast Park StreetEast Park StreetEast Park StreetEast Park StreetNeosho, MO 64850Neosho, MO 64850Neosho, MO 64850Neosho, MO 64850Neosho, MO 64850David Hendrix (David Hendrix (David Hendrix (David Hendrix (David Hendrix (david_hendrix@fws.govdavid_hendrix@fws.govdavid_hendrix@fws.govdavid_hendrix@fws.govdavid_hendrix@fws.gov)))))417/451-0554417/451-0554417/451-0554417/451-0554417/451-0554

IllinoisCarterville Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeCarterville Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeCarterville Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeCarterville Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeCarterville Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office9053 Route 148, Suite A9053 Route 148, Suite A9053 Route 148, Suite A9053 Route 148, Suite A9053 Route 148, Suite AMarion, Illinois 62959Marion, Illinois 62959Marion, Illinois 62959Marion, Illinois 62959Marion, Illinois 62959Rob Simmonds (Rob Simmonds (Rob Simmonds (Rob Simmonds (Rob Simmonds (rob_simmonds@fws.govrob_simmonds@fws.govrob_simmonds@fws.govrob_simmonds@fws.govrob_simmonds@fws.gov)))))618/997-6869618/997-6869618/997-6869618/997-6869618/997-6869Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)

WisconsinAshland Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAshland Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAshland Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAshland Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeAshland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office2800 Lake Shore Drive East2800 Lake Shore Drive East2800 Lake Shore Drive East2800 Lake Shore Drive East2800 Lake Shore Drive EastAshland, WI 54806Ashland, WI 54806Ashland, WI 54806Ashland, WI 54806Ashland, WI 54806Mark Brouder (Mark Brouder (Mark Brouder (Mark Brouder (Mark Brouder (mark_brouder@fws.govmark_brouder@fws.govmark_brouder@fws.govmark_brouder@fws.govmark_brouder@fws.gov)))))715/682-6185715/682-6185715/682-6185715/682-6185715/682-6185Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)

Genoa National Fish HatcheryGenoa National Fish HatcheryGenoa National Fish HatcheryGenoa National Fish HatcheryGenoa National Fish HatcheryS5689 State Road 35S5689 State Road 35S5689 State Road 35S5689 State Road 35S5689 State Road 35Genoa, WI 54632-8836Genoa, WI 54632-8836Genoa, WI 54632-8836Genoa, WI 54632-8836Genoa, WI 54632-8836Doug Aloisi (Doug Aloisi (Doug Aloisi (Doug Aloisi (Doug Aloisi (doug_aloisi@fws.govdoug_aloisi@fws.govdoug_aloisi@fws.govdoug_aloisi@fws.govdoug_aloisi@fws.gov)))))608/689-2605608/689-2605608/689-2605608/689-2605608/689-2605

Green Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeGreen Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeGreen Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeGreen Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeGreen Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office2661 Scott T2661 Scott T2661 Scott T2661 Scott T2661 Scott Tower Driveower Driveower Driveower Driveower DriveNew Franken, WI 54229New Franken, WI 54229New Franken, WI 54229New Franken, WI 54229New Franken, WI 54229Mark Holey (Mark Holey (Mark Holey (Mark Holey (Mark Holey (mark_holey@fws.govmark_holey@fws.govmark_holey@fws.govmark_holey@fws.govmark_holey@fws.gov)))))920/866-1717920/866-1717920/866-1717920/866-1717920/866-1717Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin)

Iron River National Fish HatcheryIron River National Fish HatcheryIron River National Fish HatcheryIron River National Fish HatcheryIron River National Fish Hatchery10325 Fairview Road10325 Fairview Road10325 Fairview Road10325 Fairview Road10325 Fairview RoadIron RiverIron RiverIron RiverIron RiverIron River, WI 54847, WI 54847, WI 54847, WI 54847, WI 54847Dale Bast (Dale Bast (Dale Bast (Dale Bast (Dale Bast (dale_bast@fws.govdale_bast@fws.govdale_bast@fws.govdale_bast@fws.govdale_bast@fws.gov)))))715/372-8510715/372-8510715/372-8510715/372-8510715/372-8510

LaCrosse Fish Health CenterLaCrosse Fish Health CenterLaCrosse Fish Health CenterLaCrosse Fish Health CenterLaCrosse Fish Health Center555 Lester A555 Lester A555 Lester A555 Lester A555 Lester AvenuevenuevenuevenuevenueOnalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Becky Lasee (Becky Lasee (Becky Lasee (Becky Lasee (Becky Lasee (becky_lasee@fws.govbecky_lasee@fws.govbecky_lasee@fws.govbecky_lasee@fws.govbecky_lasee@fws.gov)))))608/783-8441608/783-8441608/783-8441608/783-8441608/783-8441

LaCrosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeLaCrosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeLaCrosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeLaCrosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation OfficeLaCrosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office555 Lester A555 Lester A555 Lester A555 Lester A555 Lester AvenuevenuevenuevenuevenueOnalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Onalaska, WI 54650Pamella Thiel (Pamella Thiel (Pamella Thiel (Pamella Thiel (Pamella Thiel (pam_thiel@fws.govpam_thiel@fws.govpam_thiel@fws.govpam_thiel@fws.govpam_thiel@fws.gov)))))608/783-8431608/783-8431608/783-8431608/783-8431608/783-8431Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)Area of Responsibility (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)

Todd Turner (todd_turner@fws.govtodd_turner@fws.govtodd_turner@fws.govtodd_turner@fws.govtodd_turner@fws.gov)

22 Fish Lines / August 2012 Fish Tails

Fish Tails“Fish Tails” includes articles that are included in field station reports that are not published in the “Conservation Briefs.” Thesearticles are categorized by focus area and includes the article title, author and field station. The website link, where the fullarticle can be viewed, is highlighted in blue type.

Partnerships and AccountabilityPartnerships and AccountabilityPartnerships and AccountabilityPartnerships and AccountabilityPartnerships and Accountability

Aquatic Species Conservation andAquatic Species Conservation andAquatic Species Conservation andAquatic Species Conservation andAquatic Species Conservation andManagementManagementManagementManagementManagement

Aquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive SpeciesAquatic Invasive Species

Public UsePublic UsePublic UsePublic UsePublic Use

Cooperation with Native AmericansCooperation with Native AmericansCooperation with Native AmericansCooperation with Native AmericansCooperation with Native Americans

Leadership in ScienceLeadership in ScienceLeadership in ScienceLeadership in ScienceLeadership in Scienceand Tand Tand Tand Tand Technologyechnologyechnologyechnologyechnology

Aquatic Habitat Conservation andAquatic Habitat Conservation andAquatic Habitat Conservation andAquatic Habitat Conservation andAquatic Habitat Conservation andManagementManagementManagementManagementManagement

WWWWWorkforce Managementorkforce Managementorkforce Managementorkforce Managementorkforce Management� ON Detail: Diversifying Skills throughON Detail: Diversifying Skills throughON Detail: Diversifying Skills throughON Detail: Diversifying Skills throughON Detail: Diversifying Skills throughCollaborationCollaborationCollaborationCollaborationCollaborationo By the Columbia FWCO staff