DNR creel clerks to collect angler information this summer

Staff will be at select Great Lakes ports and inland waterbodies .
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Statewide DNR News

May 18, 2017

Contact: Tracy Kolb, 517-284-5829 or Elyse Walter, 517-284-5839

DNR creel clerks to collect angler information this summer

DNR creel clerk interviewing angler in truckAs this year’s open-water fishing season gets under way, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that Fisheries Division personnel are at lakes, rivers and Great Lakes ports collecting fishing data from anglers.

DNR creel clerks will be stationed at boat launches and piers around the state asking anglers questions as they return from fishing trips. Information will be requested on trip length, target species and number and type of fish caught. In some cases, creel clerks may ask to measure or weigh fish and to take scale or other body parts for aging. These data are key information in the DNR's management of the state's fisheries resource.

“The DNR appreciates anglers’ cooperation with these interviews, and it will only take a couple of minutes to answer the questions,” said DNR fisheries biologist Tracy Kolb. “This program helps us gather information that is critical in managing the state’s fisheries and is used in every aspect of our management efforts.”

These efforts are part of the DNR’s Statewide Angler Survey Program, a long-term monitoring program that tracks recreational fisheries and harvest across Michigan’s waters. This is one of the most comprehensive angler survey programs in the country, with DNR creel clerks interviewing upwards of 50,000 anglers in most years.

Information about where creel clerks are stationed and the data they collect is available online. 

/Note to editors: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Suggested caption follows.

Anglers may encounter DNR creel clerks, as pictured here, this summer at certain Great Lakes ports and inland waterbodies. These individuals may ask you a few questions about your fishing effort that day and potentially collect data on the fish you caught./ 


The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

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