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Riverwatch volunteers needed for spring
Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials are recruiting volunteers to assist DNR Conservation Officers monitoring spring steelhead and walleye spawning runs on the Allegan and Hamilton Dams in Allegan County.
“Riverwatch Patrols,” scheduled in Allegan for April 7-20, help protect fish during critical spawning activity. The Riverwatch Program allows citizen volunteers to assist conservation officers by providing a visible presence on the waterways and reporting illegal activities such as snagging, improperly hooked fish and other violations. The program is especially effective near dams, where spawning fish tend to congregate.
“This program has grown throughout Michigan as it has proven an effective deterrent to illegal behavior,” said Lt. Raymond Boehringer, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “A growing number of Allegan-area residents have reported illegal activities at the Hamilton and Allegan dams in recent years. This spring, volunteers will have an opportunity to actively help curtail this behavior here.”
Interested participants are required to attend an informational meeting March 28, in the Hamilton High School Founder's Room, at 7:00 p.m. Conservation Officers will outline the poaching problems, and fisheries personnel will outline the fishing improvement programs on the Kalamazoo River.
For more information, contact Lt. Raymond Boehringer at 269-685-6851.
Source: MDNR |