These two trawl boats and the Corps of Engineers barge were among the highlights during the Native Fish Association Mississippi River Field Day. - Photo by Andy Plauck

Columbia Fishery Resource Office personnel and Missouri Department of Conservation staff recently conducted a demonstration of big river sampling techniques for members of the North American Native Fish Association.

Biologist Andrew Plauck, and technicians Tammy Knecht and Lee Erickson, brought the Columbia FRO’s 25ft stern trawler "Phoenix" to NANFA’s national meeting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in September. 

The first day of the meeting was “big river” day, featuring the Army Corps of Engineers’ barge and towboat "The Pathfinder" shipping about 50 ichthyologists to an island upstream of Cape Girardeau. 

The two trawl crews rotated the attendees through short trawl demonstrations.  Participants enjoyed watching the MDC’s hand retrieved bow trawl and the Columbia crew’s hydraulic assisted stern trawl demonstrations.  While big river biologists may take some of the unique species for granted, many of the attendees had never handled or even seen some of the fish species collected in the trawls. 

The field day was a success, with everyone getting a chance to ride along with a big river crew and experience the fish catching capabilities of a benthic trawl. 

The next day was dedicated to presentations and posters pertaining to native riverine fish.  Columbia FRO biologists Andy Starostka, Wyatt Doyle, Jeff Finley and Jennifer Johnson put together posters highlighting work performed by the Columbia FRO.

This event allowed big river folks to mingle with people from all over the United States to share lessons learned in the Midwest and learn about projects in other parts of the country.  In keeping with goals set forth by the Service's Fisheries program, the Columbia FRO will continue to partner with other agencies to make groups such as NANFA as successful as possible in their attempt to conserve native fishes.