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Laura Rhinehart, Brandon Thomas, Jennifer Couch, and Max Bartley put on hip boots and waders as they prepare to clean up the release creek.

Mr. Orsini oversees the class's efforts to herd the last of the steelhead out of the hatchery. Mr.Orsini is responsible for the care and feeding of the young steelhead from their arrival in the fall as fingerlings until the spring when they molt. The very low mortality rate is a reflection of the fine job he does each year.

In the Field

Students in the Onekama High School Natural Science class participated in the Orsini Hatchery Project for the 4th consecutive year. The students contributions to the project include cleaning and general maintenance, assisting in release of the steelhead once they smolt in the spring, stream bank stabilization to improve the release creek, and starting the preparations for receiving fish in the fall.

The Orsini Hatchery Project is a unique cooperative between the Department of Natural Resources, the Manistee County Sport Fishing Association and Onekama Consolidated Schools. Each year over 40,000 young steelhead smolt and are released into the Betsie River and eventually into Lake Michigan. This project not only improves the fishing opportunities in our area, but also gives the students some "hands-on" experience and a sense of ownership in this area's incredible natural resources.

Mr. Hughes, Matt Lenz, and Daryl Milarch work together to escort reluctant steelhead out of the hatchery and into the release creek.

This is an upstream shot showing some of the students waiting along the release creek for the steel head,

Jeremy Miller, Joe Gutowski, and max Bartley keep an eye on the steelheadsmolts as they first exit the hatchery.

(top-bottom) Justin Berklund, Daryl Milarch, Jeremy Miller, Max Bartley, Chris Gebo and Joe Gutowski toss steelhead smolt that have breached the release creek banks back in so they can reach the Betsie River.

Mr. Hunter's Home Page

May 2000

 

The Orsini Hatchery Project

http://www.onekama.k12.mi.us