Ironwood Daily Globe from Ironwood, Michigan • Page 7

State DNR Begins Study of Lake Gogebic Walleye By ANDREW HILL Dally Globe Staff A new element has been added to the annual Michigan Department ot Natural Resources' walleye spawn-faking operation on Lake Gogebic, according to slate DNR fisheries Bud Jacobs, Crystal Falls. The effort, which, began Tuesday, will continue tlirough the weekend and into I he early days o( the coining week until 100 quarts of spawn are collected. thousand fish will he netted and a minimum of 1,000 will be tagged during this spring's survey. samples 1 will be taken from 23 tagged fish in each length category and used to determine tlje. age and growth rate of the fish.

Approximately 100 females will be needed lo acquire the spawn ne- cessary to continue walleye planting in Upper Peninsula in-' land lakes. It is assumed that the fish, when released will disperse evenly throughout the lake, making fairly accurate statistical analysis possible. By determining what percentage of all fish caught in the lake this season are tagged, the total number of walleye in tha neatly lake may be estimated. In its natural state, Lake Co- gcbic is primarily a bass lake and it remained that way until 1890 when northern pike and muskcllunge were planted. the rnuskies never heard from again, the northern blossomed and bee'amo the dominant species in the lake through the early portion of fhe 20th century.

Walleye fry were introduced to Lake Gogeblc in 1913. The fry prospered through the nest decade and became the dominant species in the lake around 1925, a position they have enjoyed ever driving (he northern pike into the background. Today Lake Gogebic anglers enjoy 'action on the state's leading walleye fishery, one of the ranking walleye sources in the United States. In addition to walleye, species of fish commonly found in Lake Gogebic include rock bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch and suckers. As part of the DNR's continuing study of the lake, department personnel will net and boom there this fall in order to obtain knowledge loke'species other than walleye.

Lake Gogebic is an' excellent habitat walleye because of its large size; relatively shallow depth and excellent, spawning ground on the east shore: Because ot this, DNR fish experts suspect that the lake may actually be overpopulated with walleye, thereby limiting available feed for the fish and hampering individual fish White walleye reach maturity within an average of four years stateTM de, it is known that Lake Gogebic' walleye take about six years to reach maturity. If a slight overpopulation of walleye may pose a problem in the growth area, it does present an advantage in that the walleye hold numbers of perch, a proven enemy of many game fish, at a minimum. The population study has been undertaken to determine how many walleye reside in Lako Gogebic, just how many of the fish are caught and tho overall well-being of the lake's fish. A secondary question which Jacobs find his DNR cohorts hope will bo answered satisfactorily is the problem of what qlfcct the spawn-collecting efforts have had on tho lake's walleyo population. Interested parties may contribute to a successful DNR quest for answers lo these questions by reporting the length of lagged walleyes they catch, the fish's'tag number, the time at which the fish was caught and the area of Lake Gogebic in which the (ish was captured.

Cooperation during planned DNR angler interviews this summer also wilt add lo the WALLEYE NETTED Michigan DNR personnel aro netting Lake Gogcbio -walleyes in order to-study the fish conditions in the lake. Fyke-type impoundment nets are used to trap the fish without harming them. (Daily Globe Photo) Moon Tree Planted, Removed LANSING, Mich. (AP) A tiny tree whose ancestors sur-. vived a roundtrip to the moon can't endure Michigan's spring weather on the Slate Capitol lawn: It.

Cov. James Damman and a group of other state dignitaries planted the little sycamore seedling "Moon on the front lawn of the Capitol Thursday. Bat after the ceremonies died down and the small crowd departed, maintenance workers whisked the tree away to a city greenhouse until the danger of late spring frost is passed; Michigan's "Moon Tree" actually is a "cutting" olf a'tree grown from a seed taken to the moon aboard Apollo XIV in 1871. Astronauts wanted to find out if space flight might render the seeds sterile. "The tree is just a lillle fel- la', about 18; inches high," saic Jim Bryant, Department ol Natural Resources planner.

The seedling may have to be indoors until he said. Sycamores can live for 500 to 600 years, said Bryant. relative success of the fish survey, Jacobs said. Area residents have long complained that Ibe spawn-taking has been Iho cause of thousands of walleye fatalities. While DNR personnel agree that spawn-taking adds another stress to fish already strained by their reproductive efforts, (hey seem (o feel that most the fish survive the ordeal and that the social benefits of the program outweigh any immediate losses to the Lake Gogebic fishery.

DNR workers have invited the, public to view their activities and have cooperated by offering boat rides work area so that the spawn-taking may be viewed lirst hand. "Those the operation may siill have some reservation," Jacobs stated Wednesday, Eagle Nesting "but they should'be oble to see tho justice and necessity of (ho program." It is estimated that only two or three per cent of all walleye eggs hatch in natural surroundings. Natural calamities may reduce even Ihis small amount drastically or even wipe out the year's hatch entirely upon occasion, Walleye spawn reared in fish hatcheries hatch at a rate of approximately 50 per cent, resulting in It million hatchtings during an average year in Michigan U.P. D.VR facilities. Some ot the halchlings are moved into rearing ponds and grown lo the fingerling stage before being released.

Others are released directly into state waters. In any case, the survival rate for artificially raised (ish Is much higher than It would be under even the best natural conditions. Some Michigan walleye spawn Is shipped in from New- York, but it Is not usable here because of seasonal differences In the fisli resulting from tho favorable climate in these more southerly areas. All walleye planted within Upper Peninsula inland waters come from either iJikc Gogebic or Manislique Lake and aro reared nl the Thompson Hatchery near Manlsliquc. About 10 per cent of the hatchlings resulting from use ot Lako Go- geble spawn are relumed directly to Iho lake and thus offset any losses incurred by the milking of the fish, The rest arc distributed throughout the remainder of the peninsula.

MEASUREMENTS TAKEN In conjunction with tho MDNR study ot Lake Gogebic walleyes, fish are measured, indentifiod by sex, marked with blaze orange numbered tags, and scale samples are taken before fish are released. (Daily Globe Photo) WDNR Secretary Earl Explains Policies Question, Answer Session Held at Mercer IIERCER Several hundred northern Wisconsin residents voiced (heir opinions and asked questions of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources secretary Anthony Earl at an open meeting Thursday night at the Mercer High School gym. In addition to Earl, several prominent state legislators were in attendance Thursday and made themselves available for questioning by the public. The meeting, arranged by the Mercer Wildlife' and Wetlands Club with the help of Assemt man James Wanner, k'ee, also was attended by semblyman Davie 1 Kedrow. Washburn, and Senator I Theno, Ashland.

Earl opened the evonin proceedings by staling his id of what the DNR should be ing in the stale and intorm the audience of. proposed ch ges in DNR policy which soon become readily appar lo all slate residents. Ban U.S. Auto Production Hits 28-Month High DETKOfT (AP) The nation's aulo production reached a 28-monlh high this week, reflecting, strong sales of most car lir.es, tho trade journal Automotive News reports, However, slow sales ot some small cars will result in production cutbacks beginning Monday at three o( the auto makers and the layoff of 3,900 hourly workers, 1,700 of them for an indefinite period, Auto News said Thursday scheduled car output for the, week was 197,640 units, the Oil Slick Kills Birds GREEN BAY, (AP) The Cosst Guard says 17 waterfowl were found dead Thursday at the tip of the Door County peninsula near an oil spill from a freighter. Cfndr.

Earl Sullivan Milwaukee, supervising clean-up operations, said 31 other birds were found alive but oil-soaked near St. Martin's Wanj. Sullivan said several thousand gallons of heavy fuel oil were accidentally spilled in Lake Michigan's Green Bay from the 'freighter Stolt Argo Bay late Monday and again on Wednesday. The freighter, owned by American Shipping Federation of New York, was about three miles northeast of the city of Green Bay Monday. The oil slick moved north, then winds shifted Wednesday and Thursday morning, drivinj some of the oil back toward the city.

Some of the oil was blown ashore at scattered locations northeast of Green Bay. Workmen used shovels ant wheelbarrows to clean along the shore. highest figure since 202,020 cars were built the week'of Dec. 3, 1973. The industry assembled 146,359 cars last week, when all plants were down for Good Friday, and 137,636 this week a year ago.

So far this year, the industry has built 2,796,126 cars, a 55 per cent increase over 1,802,260 through the same period las year. U.S. truck production for the week was estimated at 67,237 units, up from 48,002 last week and 47,057 year ago. Oulpu For Hie year now totals 920,32 trucks, up 43 per cent from 6431049 In 1975. General Motors, which wil have 13 assembly plants work ing overtime elimi naling the second shift at Ciievelle assembly plant in Wil mington, on Monday due lo weak sales of the minicar The move will mean Indefinite layoffs for 1,625 workers.

American Motors is shutting its Milwaukee body plant arJ suspending Gremlin and Mafa dor assemblies at Kenosha for the week, temporaril idling 3,000 hourly workers. Ford Motor Co. said Thurs day it will recall 600 worker A primary goal the secretary atends to achieve is the decen- ralization of (he department. staled that many ol the de- isions BOW made in Madison odd easily be handled by local personnel and that he was (templing lo put more decision making power into the hands area DJR Earl said he would like to ce debate over whether DNK orks should emphasize re- ource conservation or ecology ninimized. He felt that the two 0 "hand and glove" and that, a decent environment, here.

will. be no wildlife re- ources left to conserve. Earls third proposed change 1 the department is greater DNR visibility statewide. Thursay's speaking engagenraient was just one of many Earl has in recent months. He will, fact, be attending a similar meeting today in Park Fulls.

But Earl said Ihis is not a one-shot affair and that he will return soon for wore discussion vith the public, giving area residents the opportunity to fur- Globe Want Ads Bring Fast Action from Homes indefinite layoff nex but also eliminate In from week sccor.d shift at its four-eylinde cngir.e plant in Lfma, Ohio where 75 workers will go on ir definite layoff. engine cul back is the result of slow sale of the firm's subcompact cars a spokesman said. Ford also'is placing 475 work ers at scattered locations temporary layoff next week Affected by the recall are 3d workers at Atlanta assembly 125 at Cleveland casting, 50 a Sterling Heights, trans mission and 125 at other sea tered Industrywide next week, 47 675 out of 726,000 hourly au, workers will be on imtelinil layoff, up from 46,456 th week. Iher aid in shaping DNTl policy. One of the main issues discussed Thursday was DNR handling of dams and waterways through the slate, particularly as they relate to the'Lake ol the Falls area near Mercer.

Several persons wfco. own lakeside property there felt that something should be done to regulate water levels in the lake more effectively in order to alleviate flooding conditions in the baTements of several homes. The question of whether a permanent cement dam should be installed there was discussed thoroughly and Earl promised to examine the matter fully. Another issue pursued Thursday night was the question of public ownership of land and its effect on local tax rolls. Earl explained that the DNR was only the third-largest public and owner in the state of Wisconsin, county governments and agencies being tho largest, and that of the three, the DNR was the only one that made regular payments to local overnmental bodies in lieu ol ost fax revenues.

He also added (hat tho cur- ent school aid formula lakes he Joss of ands within a school district nlo consideration and increases The DNR, according to Earl iow owns just over two per cen the entire area comprising lie state of Wisconsin, just ovei ne million acres. The depart ment's goal is lo eventually hold hree percent of all slate lands jut Earl emphasized that evci his amount wouldn't be enoug handle the needs ot the popp ace. Private land owners wil iave (o be encouraged to "mak heir holdings available for pub ic use'if all state residents jir have land sufficient to mee heir recreational needs ulure, Earl added. There is a good degree of EARL SPEAKS Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources secretary -Anthony Earl speaks to a cfowd ot several hundred conservation-minded Wisconsinilcs at- a qucstiori-ahd- answcr session Thursday night at Mercer High School. Earl noted the need for an increased team effort between the WDNR and state residents if conservation and ecological goals are going to be met.

(Daily Globe Photo) tale aid lo hese losses. compensate for RH1NELANDER, Wis. Persons with information regarding the locations of bald eagle or osprcy nests are requested lo advise the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources of their finding to keep state records on nesting territories up- to-date. Bald eagles are now incubat- ng their and ospreys will jc returning to the state in ibout a week. Eagle nests arc normally lo- in a lowering living tree about 10 to 15 feet down from he top.

Ospreys generally build heir huge stick nests at the rery top of a completely dead rec, or even on power line les'or windmills. The DNR's need for the best jossible records on these birds to allow ft to give the fullest amount of agency support to the irolection of the nest sites when environmental impact assessments are made for timber cut- ing, trail construction and other projects, Last year, two eagle nests were destroyed in Wisconsin because nobody, apparently, was aware of the r.ests. In one case, logger in Florence County brought'an eagle nest to'the ground when be cut a tree without realizing that Ihe nest was in the branches above. Nest reports should be recorded on the best available map, along with general observations about any eagle or osprcy. activity that may be seen, and mailed to Arlyn Loomans, wildlife management staff specialist, Department of.Natural Resources, Box 818, Rhlnelonder 54501.

agreement on where public ands should be expanded as, according to Earl, southern Visconsin residents want, more and' in the southern one-third of the state to fall inlo public ownership while persons resid- ng in the northern two-thirds of the state also feel that more mblic lands should be acquired the southern portion of the stale. A third major issue discussed at the meeting problem of recurring difficulties between Wisconsin's Indian population and the public at large. It was noted that the DNR ras hired a member of the Winnebago tribe to coordinate communication between the eight Wisconsin Indian bands and all other inlerestcd parlies. The DNR, the slate- justice department and the United states attorney's office have seen attempting to keep things in the talking stage, but DNR personnel in altendanco that in roost cases they nave seen forced to react to problems rather than discuss them. Thursday's meeting concluded with short discussions on the party deer permit question and the length of the bow and arrow deer season.

Kimberly-Clark Has Record Income, Sales Kimberly Clark Corp. said its first quar fer r.et income and sales 'were Ihe highest of any quarter in the company's history. The record net income was $32.3 million, or $1.39 per share up 21 per cent over the million, or $1.15 per share reported a year ago. Sales, also a record, reachet $414.4 million, about 10 per ccn the i higher than 1975 first quartc lales of $377.6 million. In March the company nounced (hat it would with.dr.ai rom the coated paper busines the H.

S. and sell its Kim jerly Paper Division and sur inrting woodlands. These facili ies have continued to operate ir.d their results are includec the first quarter statement. 2 ro Be Elected to Watersmeet Board WATERSMEET Two positions on the Board of Education will be filled In the Walersmeet Township School District's annual election Monday, June 1-f. Positions lo be filled arc those held now by Samuel Sorensen and LcHoy Dellies, whose term? expire this jear.

Nominating petitions for tho four-year terms are available nl Ihe superintendent's office al the school during any schoo day. Petitions must be filed by 4 p.m. Monday, May 17. A COOPERATIVE EFFORT United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service fish biologist Duane Campbell, Escanaba, records the sex, size and serial numbers of tagged Lake Gogobic walleyes, assisting MOOT workers with their study of the popular game fish; Campbell served 10 years with (he Forest Service at Irpnwood and is familiar with the area. (Daily Globe Photo) Landowners' Meet in July EAGLE RIVER The second annual Vilas County landowner's conference will be held July 10, 17 and 18 in the Trees for Tommorow Center here.

The conference is desinged to assist landomiers with timber and wildlife management as well as recreational uses. Featured speaker will be Anthony S. Earl, secretary ot tho Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, who will attend the dinner for participants on July 16. A tour of the St. Regis paper mill in Rbinelander and a timber sale are also scheduled.

Richard Oils, sanitary engineer with the University of Wisconsin will give a lecture on problems of sewer systems that face northern Wisconsin homeowners. Although (he conference Is especially for Vilas County landowners, any inlerestcd persons may attend. For more information, contact the University of Wisconsin extension office, Vilas Courthouse, Eagle Riv- er, or phone (715) 479-4797. Banquet Set The Gogebic Range Junior Rifle Club will hold its annual awards bar.quet at 6:30 Tuesday evening, April at Circle Hills Restaurant on the Black Hiver Rd. Members are invited to attend with their parents and guests.

Results of recent shooting sessions were: grade (prone position) One session: Jiandy Clemens 166, Terri Saari 158; Rick Stella 145; second session: Clemens 161, Paula Magdzlak 150, Veronica Koski 128; third session: Magdziak 157, Clemens 151, Stella 138. Eight grade fprone and kneeling positions) One session: Tim Newman 164, Ray Butcher 156, Bruce Pertiula 154; second session: Robin Synkelma 167, Butcher 157, Perttula 152; Ihird session; Synkelma 163, Pertiula 160, Butcher 158. TRI STATE HOMES INVITES YOU TO COMPARE BEFORE YOU BUY! 11 Plywood Soffit Wilh Continuous Venting 1" Hcdwood Fascia Hoard Sen I -Down Shingles Kelt Paprfr Ratters Building Taper PLUS MANY MORE STANDARD FEATURES More Information and a Full-Color Plan Book, Contact: TRI STATE HOMES Dcpf. Mercer, Wis. 54547 Phone 715-476-3511 Quality with that CustomTouch.