The Arctic Grayling is an iconic and treasured part of Michigan’s history. It was the only abundant stream salmonid in the Lower Peninsula, and it has not been present in the state since the 1930s.
To bring the Arctic grayling back to Michigan’s waters, the Arctic Grayling Initiative was introduced in June of last year, and recently Consumers Energy Foundation awarded a $117,175 grant to support the efforts to bring back this historic fish.
“The contributions from Consumers Energy Foundation will be extremely helpful as we move forward with this unique initiative,” said DNR Fisheries Division Chief Jim Dexter. “The partnerships cultivated throughout the course of the Michigan Arctic grayling Initiative are critical to meeting our goals and seeing success.”
To bring the Arctic Grayling back to the waters, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources partnered with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. The initiative consists of 32 organizations that have come together to reintroduce this culturally significant species.
“The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is thrilled by the support to continue this historical initiative we launched in 2010,” said the director of the band’s Natural Resources Department, Frank Beaver. “It’s so exciting to see so many partners working in parallel with our goals to try and bring back this significant species.”
The Arctic Grayling is slate blue in color, and have a sail-like dorsal fin. In the lower 48 states, they are native only to Michigan and Montana, according the DNR.
Reintroduction efforts have occurred in the past, with the most recent one being roughly 30 years ago. It was unsuccessful, but information was obtained to help move the initiative forward.
The grant from Consumers Energy Foundation will fund work throughout this year to address two needs for a successful reintroduction. First, habitat and fish community data in the upper Big Manistee River will be collected, which is believed to hold high-quality habitats for the fish. The second is to create an outreach plan to engage citizens of the efforts, and to make the Arctic grayling an important part of Michigan’s heritage again.
“As a company focused on leaving our state better than we found it, Consumers Energy is proud to be part of a public-private partnership to help bring native Arctic grayling back to our home waters,” said David Mengebier, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “We are confident by combining forces with the other stewards of our land, air, water and wildlife involved in the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative that this swimming icon of clean waterways will again flourish in Michigan rivers.”
The information collected through the grant, along with previous data, will guide the initiative to select appropriate reintroduction sites.
