Biologists Anjanette Bowen and Heather Rawlings, and Technician Andrea Ania pose with a nice brook trout captured during an electrofishing survey on Mellett Creek, in Emmet County, Michigan. - FWS photo

Mullett Creek, a tributary of Burt Lake in the Cheboygan River Watershed, was surveyed by backpack electrofishers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources-Fisheries, Natural Resources Conservation Service, a private landowner, and three Service personnel. 

This unique partnership stemmed from concern for this small, coldwater tributary which supports a healthy brook trout population.  A Michigan DNR electrofishing survey was not located in DNR files, so there was no baseline data for this creek. 

Status of the brook trout fishery was unknown, and local landowners and natural resources personnel were concerned with the water quality of the creek.  The Cheboygan River Watershed is a Partners for Fish and Wildlife Focus Area, and ranks in the highest level of concern for the Service Fisheries Program.  

Five sites were chosen for electrofishing, both above and below road/stream crossings of concern.  The surveys revealed a creek with a fairly healthy brook trout population, with both fingerlings and large adult brook trout present, however large sediment loads were noted below several of the road/stream crossings. 

Fish passage is blocked at two of these crossings, and are a concern at two additional sites.  The next step in gathering this baseline data is to complete a road-stream crossing inventory and to gather habitat data at the electrofishing sites. 

Habitat data will be collected by the MDNR, and the road-stream crossing inventory will be conducted by NRCS and the Service.