REGION- With a 2023 state general fund budget appropriation of $30 million, six Michigan Department of Natural Resources fish hatcheries are being improved by updating outdated and aging infrastructure.
Several of the sites have only seen limited updates or upgrades since the late 1970s –facilities and equipment pushing 50 years old. I think about my own body at 50 and often wonder when my body parts are going to fail.
In terms of our critical hatcheries, managers don’t want to be left wondering whether today might be the day that something vital to operations gives out.
Marquette State Fish Hatchery in Marquette County houses brood stock for our brook trout, lake trout and Arctic grayling programs. It is also a production facility that stocks brook trout, lake trout and splake in Michigan waters.
The Marquette hatchery is slated to get a new roof on the hatchery building and a new energy-efficient boiler, as well as updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls in 2024. A new brood-isolation building will be built to replace the current crumbling structure. Leveling of settling concrete around the facility to improve accessibility will cap off the 2025 projects. Finally, in 2026, the facility will be completely repaved.
Harrietta State Fish Hatchery in Wexford County produces Atlantic salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout for stocking in Michigan waters.
A repaving for the facility was already underway and was finished using funding from the 2023 appropriation. A new backup generator, electrical distribution panels, aeration pumps with variable frequency drives, boiler and two new backup generators at production wells will bring Harrietta up to speed with new energy-efficient electrical systems in 2024.
Learn more about the DNR’s fish hatcheries and weirs at Michigan.gov/Hatcheries.
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