CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BAUMAN, MDNR
The Michigan DNR is doing walleye recruitment surveys on northern Michigan waters, starting this week and running through the middle of October.
DNR fisheries biologist John Bauman in Escanaba tells RRN News that the surveys are an important tool to determine whether walleye that hatched in the spring (known as young-of-year) did so in the wild or were stocked, as well as how many of those fish are present in an area.
This helps the DNR to “make informed management decisions” about the fisheries.
Bauman says they are not electrocuting the fish. He says that biologists will stun the fish for a minute or two, which gives them a chance to gather the information they need.
Using electrofishing boats, crews will survey shallow areas near the shoreline of lakes at night with the goal of capturing young-of-year walleye.
Since walleye prefer cooler, deeper areas of lakes during the day but move into shallow, nearshore areas at night, nighttime surveys are more efficient.
Here in the Upper Peninsula, the Forest Service will also be collaborating on surveys and conducting independent surveys in the Hiawatha National Forest as part of an effort to create long-term datasets for a number of inland lakes managed for walleye.
Everyone is urged to use caution when fishing or on the water near electrofishing boats, and those wading will be asked to exit the water when a survey boat approaches and during electrofishing work. Crews will be using bright lights to illuminate the water around the boats and running generators on board, which may make it difficult to hear and speak with anyone on shore.
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