Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Technical Report No. 98-2, 1998

Costs of Rearing and Stocking Walleye in Michigan during 1994

Richard P. O'Neal Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division 350 Ottawa Street, N.W. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Abstract.–Michigan walleye Stizostedion vitreum rearing and stocking costs were estimated for 1994. Expenses included in estimates were labor, travel, and materials for egg-take, incubation, fingerling rearing, and stocking operations. Costs not included were capital investments for the incubation facilities. Average stocking costs/fish for fry, spring fingerlings, and fall fingerlings were estimated at $0.00091, $0.044, and $0.581. Fry were stocked as sac fry, and spring and fall fingerlings averaged 4.2 cm and 11.9 cm. The cost of stocking fall fingerling walleye, attaining lengths representative of wild fall fingerlings (12.7 cm), was $1.23/fish. Stocking costs/ha for fry, spring fingerlings, and 12.7 cm fall fingerlings were $4.49/ha, $2.73-$10.87/ha, and $60.27-$121.77/ha. Fingerling rearing costs increased very little over the previous 15 to 20 years. The total cost for rearing and stocking 18,445,000 fry, 7,795,972 spring fingerlings, and 56,122 fall fingerlings was $395,191. Labor, travel, and materials accounted for 63.9%, 5.1%, and 31.0% of total cost. Total labor expended was 6.0 full time equivalents (FTEs). Volunteers provided 10.9% of total program cost, including 0.8 FTEs of total labor. Fingerling rearing is conducted in earthen ponds and the ten year average annual cost for pond purchases, construction, and major renovations was $58,729.

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