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> Aquatic Invasive Species
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> Assist Refuge Fishery
> Improve Aquatic Habitat__________
Phone: 989-356-5102
Fax: 989-356-4651
Address:
145 Water St, Room 204
Alpena, MI 49707
Refuge Fishery Assistance
Fishery Resources are valuable components of National Wildlife Refuges (NWR). The Alpena National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) is or has conducted fishery projects on the Shiawassee NWR in Saginaw, Michigan, the Ottawa NWR in Oak Harbor, Ohio, the island refuges of Michigan Islands NWR in Michigan waters of northern Lake Huron, and the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in the Detroit River, Michigan.
Coastal and riverine riparian wetlands are a natural, historic and integral part of healthy coastal and riverine areas of the Great Lakes. They function as a biological resource to fish and wildlife by providing habitat for fish spawning, nursery and feeding; and waterfowl resting, mating and feeding. These wetlands are particularly important to fishery resources in that most Great Lakes nearshore species use these areas during some phase of their life cycle. The loss and degradation of these wetland areas by exotic species, natural events, and cultural uses has impacted fish and wildlife use of these resources, and has consequently become an important issue in the Great Lakes. As a means of recovering fish and wildlife use, investigations and restoration projects have been planned and/or undertaken within the Great Lakes basin to enhance the function of degraded wetlands.
Currently, efforts are being made to rehabilitate remaining western Lake Erie coastal wetland structure and function to conserve or enhance fish and wildlife which use them. Recent rehabilitation efforts have included the Metzger Marsh Wetland Restoration Project by which the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ducks Unlimited, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and other partners have worked cooperatively to restore the Metzger Marsh wetland area of western Lake Erie. Service involvement with the Metzger Marsh project has led to interest in other opportunities for coastal wetland rehabilitation on the Ottawa NWR.
Efforts have also been made to investigate fish use of various habitats and wetlands present on the Shiawassee NWR. The contribution of natural, breached, and managed wetland types to the Saginaw River fishery was the focus of a project in 2000 and a fishery inventory was conducted in 2001.
Refuge Fishery Assistance Poster Presentation (109 Kb, pdf)
