Spring fishing trips could net more than just memories this year. Catching a fish marked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and turning it in, could end with a $100 payout.
Anglers are asked to look for marked fish and turn them in. Trout or salmon could have a clip on the adipose fin. They may also have a coded-wire tag in their snout, which is very small. The Fish and Wildlife Service only wants the head, so they can remove the clip and use it to gather data.
Jay Wesley, Lake Michigan Basin coordinator for the DNR said, “We are particularly interested in confirming the wild contribution of Chinook salmon to the fishery, movement and wild contribution of steelhead in lakes and rivers, and survival and movement of Atlantic salmon. This reward program will help incentivize anglers to become community scientists and help us collect valuable data.”
To be in the running for the $100 reward, the fish heads must be dropped off at a local drop-off station in Michigan. Locally, they can be found at Anderson’s Pro Bait in Port Huron, Blue Water Bait in Fair Haven, the Port Sanilac Boat Launch, and Lexington Harbor.
The prizes will be announced in February of 2022. A link to full details:
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
