The arctic grayling vanished from Michigan in the 1930s, but the salmon-like fish with its distinct dorsal fin could soon make a comeback.
This May, the state plans to stock up to 500,000 fertilized fish eggs in the Boardman, Manistee and Maple Rivers.
Past efforts to reintroduce the species have failed because hatchery-raised fish would not reproduce in the wild. But officials in Montana — the only other state in the lower 48 where arctic grayling once lived — reestablished a stable population by releasing eggs.
Randy Claramunt, with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said the state is hoping to recreate that success.
"Last time we attempted to release grayling was 20 or so years ago, but never by acclimating them in the stream, never using this approach with the eggs," Claramunt said. "It's always been you raise them in a hatchery and then you release them, and that tends to not work."
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and Little River Band of Ottawa Indians will oversee the egg stocking in the streams. The tribes will also monitor the arctic grayling as they hatch out of in-stream incubators.
"We don't want to keep putting them in year after year if this fails," Clarumunt said. "We're going to monitor the fish even before they mature and spawn, and we should have an idea of the relative survival from these stockings to make changes if need be."
Efforts to remove dams, replace undersized culverts and restore rivers has also improved habitat for the species in the three selected rivers.
Ed Eisch, with the DNR fisheries division, said officials don't know exactly how many eggs will be released yet, which depends on the broodstock. He estimates the number will be between 250,000 to 450,000, but it could be even more.
"We don't know what to forecast as far as how many eggs an individual female will produce," Eisch said. "Going forward, in future years, we'll have a much better idea... This year should be the lowest number of eggs we would release."
The stocking will be marked with a celebration at the Oden State Fish Hatchery on May 12. Event details are subject to change.
Editor's note: The Michigan DNR is a sponsor of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization.
