Signing Ceremony Celebrates Fish Hatchery Partnership

Hiawatha collaborates with FWS to protect forest streams that serve hatcheries

On the afternoon of December 2, 2008, a group gathered at the Sullivan Creek National Fish Hatchery to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Hiawatha National Forest and US Fish and Wildlife Service. The agreement combined and revised MOU's between the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service that were originally developed in 1950 and 1959.

The new document updated the cooperative management agreement between the Hiawatha National Forest and the Pendills Creek/Sullivan Creek NFH Complex.

"With both hatcheries on or surrounded by Hiawatha National Forest land, our agencies have a shared desire to protect and conserve the Great Lakes lake trout restoration efforts," noted Forest Supervisor Thomas Schmidt.

The streams and associated watersheds that serve the Hatcheries lie within the National Forest boundary.

"This ceremony is the culmination of several years of discussion between the Hiawatha National Forest and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," according to Hatchery Manager Curt Friez. "We look forward to continued collaboration."

At the ceremony, Schmidt and USFS Assistant Regional Director Mike Weimer signed the finalized agreement, which outlines a process for collaboration on projects within the designated areas. The agencies have jointly identified watershed health as their foremost management objective.

Following the ceremony, the group toured the Sullivan Creek National Fish Hatchery's facilities.