Nick Starzl nets fish during wintering habitat study. - FWS photo

Staff from La Crosse FRO and Genoa NFH joined volunteers to assist the Wisconsin DNR on a winter habitat study. 

The goal of the study is to document wintering centrarchid (sunfish family) habitat locations and the quality of each site.  Boat electrofishing was used to collect fish and a length was taken for all centrarchids along with a count for non-target species. 

Wisconsin is working with Minnesota and Iowa to collect data on their portion of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR).  The concept that winter habitat is a limiting factor to centrarchid populations has been documented in some pools of the UMR. 

River managers are working hard to determine the extent of the problem.   This information will help managers target and propose habitat projects that could provide wintering habitat which would increase centrarchid populations.