Choosing a Topic

This blog was created as an assignment for an environmental studies class at Western Michigan University. Over the next few weeks I plan to discuss the sustainability of Michigan's native fish populations.  This will include some of the current threats to native species. Some of which are caused by non-native species of fish, plants, and diseases. I will also do an overview of the state fish hatcheries and the role they play.

When trying to decide on a topic for this blog I knew that I wanted a topic that was important in Michigan and personal to me. With all the water inland and surrounding Michigan, and all the time I spent fishing in my childhood, native fish seemed like an ideal topic.  I started fishing when I was four years old with my uncles and my mom.  My mother and I spent nearly every Mother's Day morning sitting on the bank at the mouth of the Tawas River fishing.  As soon as I was old enough I started fishing by myself (since no one ever wanted to go as often as I did) and spend nearly every weekend and all summer vacation on a river bank. 

Now I have an eleven year old son who also loves to fish.  Making sure native fish species survive and thrive is important to our family.  Being of personal importance will make this an interesting topic that I look forward to exploring.  I hope this blog will be as enjoyable for others to read as it will be for me to write.