Mussel poaching in Michigan
People are illegally harvesting freshwater
mussels from Michigan.
In August, 1995, wildlife officers arrested two
men who had illegally taken 3,000 pounds of mussels from the Grand
River.
Investigators estimate the value of these shells
to be up to $10,000.
Why should we care?
Michiganders are not the ones profitting. Most all the poachers
are from other states, and they are illegally taking one of Michigan's
great resources. Some of the poachers have previous police records,
and may be taking the mussels to use the money for illegal narcotics.
Why are the mussels being taken?
Thick shelled freshwater mussels are used for the pearl industry.
The shells are ground into beads which are inserted into pearl
oysters. With the starter, a "pure" pearl can be
produced in a much shorter time than it would take to produce
a pearl with other sources.
Thick shelled species such as this three-ridge, Amblema plicata
, are harvested.
Why are the poachers targeting Michigan?
Many of the mussel populations in the south have been depleted.
While there is still money to be made, the poachers are coming
up to the Grand, and probably the St. Joe and Kalamazoo Rivers.
Why isn't there a legal harvest in Michigan?
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources feels they don't
know enough about the mussel populations to open a harvest.
Why should we care about slimy things with no brains?
- Freshwater mussels are good ecological indicators. When you
find freshwater mussels, you can be pretty sure the water quality
in the area is good.
- Mussels are an important food source for many animals, including
muskrats, minks, otters, fish, and some birds.
- Freshwater mussel tissue is resistant to cancer growths,
and biomedical researchers have been studying why.
- Freshwater mussels are disappearing at a phenomenol rate
because of siltation, pollution, and most recently, the invasion
of the zebra mussel. Of the almost 300 species recognized in
North America, 13 are considered extinct, and almost 100 more
are considered endangered.
REPORT ALL POACHING!
Activities which may alert you to mussel poaching:
- Suspicious out of state vehicles with boat trailers. The
owners aren't boating in the daylight.
- People river diving in the evening. The poachers go out at
night to collect the mussels.
- Full burlap bags sitting in the water. The poachers store
the mussels in these bags in the river until they are ready to
leave town.
Who do I call to report suspicious activity? THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES RAP LINE AT: 1-800-292-7800
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