Michigan DNR Trying To Bring A Species Of Fish Back After Being Gone For A Century

Ever hear of an Artic grayling fish?

You may or may not have. If you haven't, there is a reason behind that.

I won't say you haven't seen any before in your life though, because if you've been to Alaska or Montana you might have. But, you definitely haven't seen any in Michigan water ways lately, as they haven't been here in Michigan since Franklin Roosevelt was in office.

After a century of not having the fish here in Michigan waters, the DNR is making efforts to slowly introduce the fish into the Michigan water ways.

The artic grayling was one of the only native stream salmonid in Lower Michigan until the time of it's disappearance.

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Humans can be pinned back to why the fish went extinct here in the state of Michigan. Things such as destruction of habitat, as well as nonnative fish species coming in, and unregulated harvest.

There's been an initiative to help bring back this once extinct species in the state of Michigan. The Michigan DNR, the Little River Band, as well as 40 other partners compromised the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative.

The DNR said that they had received the 2021 year-class of brood eggs out of Alaska.

Unfortunately for you though, you won't be able to see these graylings until at least 2024 or 2025. However, you can still learn more about this project to restore a species of fish that has been missing from the Michigan ecosystem for over a century, here.