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Lily pads covering a coastal wetland.

Assessing Streamside Egg Incubators

Objective

Efforts are underway to re-establish Arctic grayling (see Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative), a native species that was extirpated from Michigan by 1936. Alan Mock, a graduate student working with Dr. Carl Ruetz, is assessing streamside egg incubators in Manistee River tributaries to support the reintroduction effort. The research uses rainbow trout eggs as surrogates for Arctic grayling, which are not yet available to use in Michigan. Alan’s research, building on a “pilot” study conducted in 2017, suggests that streamside incubators can work well in Michigan. His research, which will be completed in 2019, is funded by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

A streamside fish egg incubator: a series of pipes moving river water to buckets containing fish eggs supported by mesh net.

A video created by the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative explaining the research happening for the fishes reintroduction.

Page last modified April 14, 2026