FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sept. 6, 2024, Cean Burgeson
(269) 397-1780 XT 1212
(269) 615-9269 (cell)
SHELBYVILLE, MICH. Sept. 6, 2024 – Roughly 160 hatchery-raised lake sturgeon were released into the Kalamazoo River today at New Richmond Bridge County Park by the Match-e-be-Nash-She-Wish Band of the Pottawatomi (Gun Lake Tribe). Hundreds gathered for the release of the fish (called nmé by Native Americans), and many of the children in attendance were able to participate by helping release the fish into the river by hand. This is an annual event held by the Tribe.
The eggs were collected in April of this year from mats placed in the Kalamazoo River by the Tribe’s Environmental Department. They were then hatched and raised inside a stream-side facility until they grew to about six to eight inches long. These newly released sturgeon may stay in Kalamazoo Lake or the river, spending most of the fall and winter there before migrating into Lake Michigan. In addition to the 160 hatchlings, five larger sturgeon from 2023’s release have been living in a tank at the Gun Lake Tribal Government office, which will also be released with trackers so environmentalists can monitor their movements. Caretaking for the lake sturgeon in the tank at the government campus over the past year has raised awareness and given many community members, staff and visitors the opportunity to see these unique fish daily and watch their development.
The hatchery used is a mobile rearing facility. Water drawn from the Kalamazoo River is circulated into the fish holding tanks, which helps them to imprint with the Kalamazoo River’s “environmental code” and return to this portion of the river to spawn later in life. Sturgeon were once found extensively throughout the Great Lakes but are now a threatened and protected species. That is why this yearly practice is so important.
“The Tribal approach to sustainable management is to recognize the impact that our current actions have on the next seven generations,” said the Tribe’s Environmental Director Liz Binoniemi-Smith. “The long life of the sturgeon requires careful management with this forward-looking approach, and through careful conservation, we hope to support this animal that is so important culturally to Neshnabék (Anishinabe People) as well as to the Great Lakes ecosystem.”
The Tribe maintains a reciprocal relationship with nmé and all the natural world. The nmé historically supported the Neshnabék by providing food and other resources. Now, this reciprocal relationship continues with the Neshnabék supporting the nmé.
“The Tribe respects nmé as kin, and nmé are a clan animal that are highly regarded for their wisdom from living on the earth for so long,” said Tribal Elder Jeff Martin.
On average, lake sturgeon can live anywhere from 50 to 80 years depending on the gender, with some females recorded living for up to 150 years. They are slow growers, and do not start reproducing until they are close to 20 years old. A fully-grown sturgeon can weigh nearly two hundred pounds and can reach more than six feet in length.
The event, which was open to the public, included educational booths, hatchery tours, and a welcome address as well as cultural presentation by the Tribe. The Gun Lake Tribe partnered with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Grand Valley State University on the project.
# # #
About Gun Lake Tribe
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi (Gun Lake Tribe) has a rich history in West Michigan and close connection to the land. The Bradley Indian Mission, located near Wayland, is the historic residential and cultural center point of the tribal community. The Tribe’s ancestors, and political predecessors, signed treaties with the United States government dating back to 1795. The Tribe was re-affirmed to federal recognition in 1999. For more information about the Tribe, visit https://gunlaketribe-nsn.gov/.
