Biologist Rawlings talks to a group of 5th graders about electrofishing at the Ocqueoc Conservation Fair. Photo credit: Andrea Ania, 5/30/2008, Ocqueoc Lake

Alpena National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) biologists Andrea Ania and Heather Rawlings participated in “Conservation Day” on May 30, 2008.  Conservation Day wrapped up a year of learning about conservation in the Ocqueoc River Watershed for the fifth graders of Onaway and Rogers City Public Schools.  The event was held at the Ocqueoc Outdoor Center near Millersburg, Mich, and was sponsored by the Ocqueoc River Commission.  Students had been conducting water quality studies in the watershed since the fall of 2007, and this event highlighted the student presentations with results from their monitoring efforts.  Natural resource agency personnel and NGO’s were present at the Conservation Fair to show students other aspects of monitoring that could be conducted in the watershed, and what other agencies and organizations have to offer through their varied programs.

Ania and Rawlings brought the Alpena NFWCO boat electrofisher and a fyke net to show active and passive means of sampling fish populations.  Frozen northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and a rock bass were brought on ice for display.  Other presenters included Michigan State University (MSU) Extension and MSU Project Fish, Trout Unlimited, Presque Isle Gas & Electric, Michigan State Police Dive Team, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, NOAA Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, Presque Isle County Marine Officer, and the Service’s Hammond Bay Biological Station.