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To conserve, protect and restore coldwater fisheries
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SWMTU pledges $5,000 towards rehabilitation of Tyler Creek following tragic fish kill GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, October 30, 2006 – The Schrems West Michigan Chapter of Trout Unlimited (SWMTU) board of directors has pledged $5,000 to assist in the rehabilitation of Tyler Creek, a tributary of the Coldwater River in Bowne Township, in southeast Kent County. This pledge is in response to the tragic fish kill that occurred on Tyler Creek this summer in which a fish kill of approximately 2,000 brown trout and 8,000 sculpin and other minnow species occurred. The Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality have determined that the event was likely caused by fecal matter washed into the stream from nearby farms or septic systems following heavy rains.
Chapter president, David Smith said, “We formed a committee with the Kalamazoo Valley and the Lansing Bob Perrin Trout Unlimited chapters, as well as the Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited to further investigate this incident and make recommendations to prevent this type of tragedy from occurring in the future. Tyler Creek was a premier brown trout fishery, and we want to restore and improve it so that it will even be better in the future.” SWMTU is also working to form a coalition with other non-profit and government agencies to provide additional funding and guide the restoration efforts on Tyler Creek. Groups actively involved in the restoration efforts include the Coldwater River Watershed Council, Timberland RC&D, as well as the Michigan DNR and DEQ and the Michigan Farm Bureau. |