The annual Sturgeon season on Black Lake in Cheboygan is short-lived. It only lasts a few days, or until the limit of 6 sturgeon are caught – whichever comes first. While it may be over for this year, the research continues.
Michigan State University reached out to schools across the state for help with their Lake Sturgeon Community Science Program. Researchers are turning to amateurs and students to help them gather data on the predators and prey in the Black River system in Cheboygan.
At Grand Traverse Academy, students in a 7th and 8th grade STEAM class are studying hours of video footage to learn about the sturgeon, walleye, and northern pike entering the ecosystem.
Teacher Bryce TeBos says his students “are analyzing the footage to see what fish are coming in to the system and what fish are leaving the system. There’s a lot of data on Lake Sturgeon… but there’s not much information on the predator/prey relationship within the system.” He adds that MSU researchers are “trying to use students as community scientists to help them gather information.”
The research is part of the focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. The next step for this class is the artwork – students will paint their favorite fish from the lesson.
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