Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area

The objective of this project is to document use of restored wetlands by larval and young fish at three Sandusky Bay restoration project sites, to meet wildlife observation requirements issued by the Ohio Environmental Protectional Agency.

ASTI provided qualified ecologists to document quantitative and qualitative observations of larval and young fish usage of the Sites. To capture small fish, a two-person seine was pulled along the shoreline. Small fishes were identified and recorded in the field and returned to the water after sampling. For larval fish, a 500 micrometer mesh plankton net was pulled through the main habitat types that could be effectively sampled. The catch was preserved in 95% ethanol and taken to ASTI’s office laboratory for identification to the lowest possible taxonomic level and life stage through microscopic observation.

Each site will be sampled annually a total of three times. ASTI’s reports detail the conditions observed, all fish species identified including quantities and life stage, and qualitative remarks on the usage of the restoration area. ASTI’s support will help The Nature Conservancy comply with the requirements of its permit from the Ohio EPA, and can also serve as a basis for demonstrating the efficacy of shoreline restoration, potentially supporting the case for future restoration projects.