The St. Marys River Fishery Task Group (SMRFTG) met, November 2, to coordinate and discuss upcoming activities and issues regarding St. Marys River fisheries. 

Alpena FRO Fishery Biologist Anjanette Bowen chaired the meeting which was held at the Ontario Forest Research Institute in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.  The group welcomed new resource members Teri Winter and Valerie Walker who replaced retired member Harvey Robbins as a representative from Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology, and Dr. Istvan Imre as a representative from Algoma University. 

The group discussed data processing, analysis, and report writing for the Fish Community Survey conducted in August.  A draft report will be completed in spring 2007.  Other items discussed included the need for a summary of fall walleye recruitment survey data and a potential symposium on the St. Marys River or large rivers at an upcoming IAGLR conference. The next task group meeting is scheduled to be held in February 2007.

The SMRFTG is comprised of a number of agencies with management authority or other interests in the St. Marys River.  Membership includes the Michigan DNR, Ontario MNR, Bay Mills Indian Community, Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, DFO Canada, Lake Superior State University, Sault College of Applied Arts, and the Service.

The task group was established under the authority of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission's Lake Huron Committee in 1997 to achieve a meaningful understanding and a joint strategy for enhancing and maximizing the fishery resources of the St. Marys River.  Publications produced by the St. Marys River fishery by the Task Group may be found on the Great Lakes Fishery Commission's website at http://www.glfc.org/lakecom/lhc/lhchome.php under 'Publications and Products'.