Grayling plan released

Streams that will receive Grayling have not been named, don't know that any have been chosen or which are on the list of candidates except that they will be in the Manistee watershed.

New action plan shares direction for state's Arctic Grayling efforts
Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 07/14/2017 10:11 AM EDT

​

Statewide DNR News
July 14, 2017

Contact: Todd Grischke, 517-284-5830 or Elyse Walter, 517-284-5839

Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative announces action plan mapping out future efforts

​

The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative – a statewide partnership effort focused on restoring self-sustaining populations of this native fish – unveiled its official action plan at Thursday's Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing. The plan details the initiative’s goals and various activities it plans to accomplish over the next several years.

This initiative, founded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, was announced in June 2016 and consists of 32 organizations.

The action plan is the result of multiple meetings of the partners where ideas, questions and information gaps were identified and then condensed into four main focus areas: research, management, fish production and outreach and education.

“Large populations of Arctic grayling were once found throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and even in an Upper Peninsula stream – in fact, this iconic, cold-water fish species was native only to Michigan and Montana in the lower 48 states,” said DNR Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter. “With the launch of the Arctic grayling action plan, we’re moving an important step closer to making it possible for residents and visitors to once again find this slate-blue beauty with the distinctive dorsal fin in Michigan waters.”

This initiative is looking for resources from a variety of sources to help reach its goals, like the Consumers Energy Foundation grant the DNR, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and Michigan Technological University received in February 2017. These funds are being used to collect habitat and fish community data in the upper Big Manistee River and create an outreach plan to engage Michigan citizens in the reintroduction efforts and once again make Arctic grayling an important part of Michigan’s heritage.

“Contributions by organizations like the Consumers Energy Foundation are invaluable as this initiative works toward making a dream a reality,” said Frank Beaver, director of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians' Natural Resources Department. “It’s so exciting to see so many partners working to try and bring back this significant species.”

Representatives from both the DNR and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians were on hand at yesterday's Natural Resources Commission meeting to share details of the plan.

For more information on the history of Arctic grayling in Michigan, visit the initiative’s newly launched website at migrayling.org.



https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/1a8e527

 

I hope I live long enough to find out. I think we are many years from having fishable populations.

 

Most, if not all, of the money is coming from private sources so I guess they can spend it however they want. The action plan is clear that they are looking for streams with very low brown trout populations. As Steve mentioned there are some that fit the bill in the Upper Manistee drainage, I know a couple and I don't even fish over there much. There are others in other watersheds and they might be candidates after the initial phase is complete. There is an agreement among all parties NOT to *treat* streams for brown trout removal.

I think it is great that some people in Michigan are willing to push the envelope and try something new. It may not work as well as it did in Montana but they will learn a lot and maybe be able apply that knowledge to other areas. That's how we advance.