Radio: Little Traverse Bay Bands debut $2.5M fish hatchery

An Indian tribe based in Emmet County is opening its first fish hatchery, a facility that hatches fish to release them to the wild. It will also conduct research in attempt to protect native species including walleye and the very rare lake sturgeon.

“Michigan really doesn’t have any other hatchery like this,” says Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Natural Resources Director Doug Craven. He says the facility is small, but state of the art. “We’re going to be able to do multiple species at the same time, so we’re going to be able to do cool water and warm water at the same time.”