The
Manistee County Sport Fishing Associations mission is to improve
the fishing in Manistee County. We have 225 active due paying members
that come from all over the state and are business owners and private
individuals committed to improve the fishing in the County. Currently,
we are in charge of the net pens in the Manistee river, the steelhead
rearing at the Orsini hatchery, several classroom Salmon hatchery
projects, Kids fish day, and running the Manistee County Salmon
Derby and Ladies Classic and Pro/Am Tournaments in June. We give
financial support to the Conservation Resource Alliance, Bear Creek
Watershed, and other groups that promote our mission statement.
Next, in the 1995 we were asked if we would take over an existing
project, the Orsini Hatchery on the Betsie River. This facility,
which is in Manistee County, seemed to fit well with our mission
statement and our board voted to take over the facility in the summer
of 1996. The facility had been run by a group of volunteers who
spent many hours and money to bring a dilapidated fish farm back
into production as the Orsini hatchery.
Again, upon taking over the facility we spent thousands of dollars
of our association's money, contributions from Steelhead chapters
from around the region and
were also awarded a $10,000 grant from fish America. We totally
rewired and replumbed the facility and were able to concrete the
raceway floors and revamped the raceways for easier grading and
release. With the new concrete floors and raceway redesign the hatchery
could now be totally drained and the fish feces could be vacuumed
easier and more thoroughly. Since these improvements no holdover
fish have been in the facility and the disease rate and mortality
have been nearly non existent.
Also, the rearing cycle starts in November and ends in Mid April
to early May when the fish smolt. At this time we call in the DNR
biologist who samples the fish for length, size and health. Upon
the DNR approval we then release the fish from the facility into
the Betsie River. During the cycle the Manistee County Sport Fishing
Association is responsible for manning the facility 24 hours a day
seven days a week, feeding and cleaning the raceways of feces, monitor
the dissolved oxygen and water flow, maintenance and insuring the
facility, snow removal, and monitoring the health of the fish. Under
the agreement the DNR has supplied the food, 2,000 dollars earmarked
for electricity, and technical support from both local biologists
and hatchery personnel. To date the agreement has worked well and
both parties have enjoyed a good working relationship.
Next, we feel this project has been beneficial to the fishery by
adding more hatchery capacity and allowing some fall fingerlings
to have a chance to be planted in the spring when they naturally
smolt. Also, the project is an example of private fishing groups
working cooperatively with a government agency and doing it successfully.
Also, we have had hundreds of high school and elementary students
visit and participate in work projects at the facility that have
helped foster an understanding and the importance of conservation
and habitat protection to these students.
Also,
we have been in contact with the biologists and hatchery personnel
over the summer and are making improvements currently. We plan on
lowering the density in the hatchery by getting 35,000 fall fingerling
steelhead from the Wolfe Lake hatchery as historical data shows
an increased size when smaller numbers were placed in the facility.
The interior and raceways have now been painted a white and light
gray and we have changed some of the lighting in the building thus
hoping to help the fish during the smolting period. We are researching
ways to warm the water so that we can warm it a few degrees so that
we can increase the number of temperature units (TU) generated during
the cycle. Also, we are investing in a more sophisticated grader
so that we can focus on isolating and enhancing the growth of the
smaller fish. Also, we have set a window where the biologists will
examine the fish and release all the fish simultaneously to help
with the downstream outward migration of the smolts.
Finally, The Orsini Hatchery project has been made possible by the
support of our members, the DNR, Fish America, and Steelhead chapters
and other fishing organizations from around the region. We are in
continual need of financial support to keep the project solvent.
You can help by advising your local chapter to continue to support
the project by allocating local funds. If you are in the area and
you would like a showing of the Orsini hatchery call Frank or Ellen
Orsini at (231) 378-2245.
For information about the hatchery project call or write to:
MCSFA PO Box 98 Manistee, MI 49660 (231) 889-5769
Kevin P Hughes President, Manistee County Sport Fishing Association
The
Manistee County Sport Fishing Associations mission is to improve
the fishing in Manistee County. We have 225 active due paying members
that come from all over the state and are business owners and private
individuals committed to improve the fishing in the County. Currently,
we are in charge of the net pens in the Manistee river, the steelhead
rearing at the Orsini hatchery, several classroom Salmon hatchery
projects, Kids fish day, and running the Manistee County Salmon
Derby and Ladies Classic and Pro/Am Tournaments in June. We give
financial support to the Conservation Resource Alliance, Bear Creek
Watershed, and other groups that promote our mission statement.
and
were also awarded a $10,000 grant from fish America. We totally
rewired and replumbed the facility and were able to concrete the
raceway floors and revamped the raceways for easier grading and
release. With the new concrete floors and raceway redesign the hatchery
could now be totally drained and the fish feces could be vacuumed
easier and more thoroughly. Since these improvements no holdover
fish have been in the facility and the disease rate and mortality
have been nearly non existent.
Also,
we have been in contact with the biologists and hatchery personnel
over the summer and are making improvements currently. We plan on
lowering the density in the hatchery by getting 35,000 fall fingerling
steelhead from the Wolfe Lake hatchery as historical data shows
an increased size when smaller numbers were placed in the facility.
The interior and raceways have now been painted a white and light
gray and we have changed some of the lighting in the building thus
hoping to help the fish during the smolting period. We are researching
ways to warm the water so that we can warm it a few degrees so that
we can increase the number of temperature units (TU) generated during
the cycle. Also, we are investing in a more sophisticated grader
so that we can focus on isolating and enhancing the growth of the
smaller fish. Also, we have set a window where the biologists will
examine the fish and release all the fish simultaneously to help
with the downstream outward migration of the smolts. 
