Overview: Thompson State Fish Hatchery was established in 1922 and was completely renovated in 1978. This facility can produce a wide range of fish species for both inland and Great Lake waters because of its unique water supply. Coldwater species produced at Thompson in 2008 include: Chinook salmon, steelhead, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Walleye fry are the only coolwater specie produced at Thompson. This facility has both indoor and outdoor rearing capabilities. The indoor facility contains 42 tanks for rearing of small fingerlings. The outdoor facility contains 12 raceways for rearing yearling trout. Thompson hatchery had a new interpretive center installed in 2003. The new interpretive center provides information on the importance of small tributaries to the Great Lakes, how watersheds work, how a hatchery operates as well as art work and a hands-on computer center which challenges people of all ages to learn about hatcheries and fisheries management.

Location: 944 S State Highway M149, Manistique, MI 49854-8922.

Photo 1. Thompson State Fish Hatchery.

Driving Directions: From the town of Thompson, turn north off US2 onto state highway M149. The hatchery is 1.5 mile north from this intersection. The hatchery will be on the right side of the road. You will see a large wooden and rock sign inviting you onto the facility. If you are coming from Palms Brook State Park take state highway M149 south for about 6 miles and the hatchery will be on the left side of the road.

Map:

Telephone: (906) 341-5587

Hatchery Manager: Jan VanAmberg

Hatchery Biologist: Randy Espinoza

Year Opened: 1922

Photo 2. Thompson State Fish Hatchery Main Hatchery Building 2 as seen in the 1930s.

Renovation History: The hatchery was completely re-built in 1978 upstream of the original hatchery complex. The next major renovation was the upgrading of the effluent treatment pond in 1995.

Photo 3. Upgraded effluent pond and the back of the outdoor raceway complex at Thompson State Fish Hatchery as seen in 2000.

As part of a recent current capitol outlay project to upgrade Michigan's hatcheries, Thompson State Fish Hatchery's water supply and treatment facilities have been significantly enhanced. A new aeration structure has been built to treat the well water that has low dissolved oxygen concentrations and high hydrogen sulfide concentrations. A series of new coldwater wells have been installed with a capability of pumping 1.3 million gallons per day.

Another recent upgrade is development of a Great Lakes Ecological Information Center (GLEIC) at the hatchery that provides new watershed information to the public. The GLEIC consists of a new interpretive area, new exhibits, and a self-guided hatchery and stream interpretive trail. An interactive computer, with hands on learning opportunities concerning our watersheds and other aspects of fish culture, is available in the indoor interpretive room. The focus of the GLEIC is on the connections of the Great Lakes tributary streams to the Great Lakes themselves and how the hatchery operates. This facility completely opened in 2003. This project was primarily funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust (www.glft.org) with some additional funding that came from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Hatchery Staffing: Thompson Hatchery is staffed by 1 Area Hatchery Manager (responsible for Marquette and Thompson State Fish Hatcheries), 1 Hatchery Biologist, 3 Fisheries Technicians, 1 Maintenance Mechanic, 1 Fisheries Assistant (Seasonal), and 1 Short Term Worker for fish culture and maintenance activities.

Production Water: Thompson Hatchery uses a unique combination of an enclosed spring (1,450 gallons per minute flow), shallow cold well water (750 gallons per minute flow) and deep geo-thermally heated well water (800 gallons per minute flow) for rearing fish. Total flow at the hatchery is approximately 3,000 gallons per minute or 4.3 million gallons per day. The temperature of the spring and shallow well is 46oF year around and the temperature of the geo-thermally heated deep well water is 60oF year around, allowing for mixing the two sources to achieve the desired temperature.

Broodstock: No broodstock are maintained at Thompson Hatchery. Broodstock are fish that are held in captivity to obtain eggs and sperm needed to propagate the species in a hatchery setting. The chinook salmon, and steelhead eggs received at Thompson are obtained from wild brood fish in either the Swan or Little Manistee rivers in lower Michigan. The brown trout eggs are all received from other broodstock hatcheries.

Management Role: Thompson State Fish Hatchery plays an integral role in assisting Fishery Managers in managing Michigan fisheries for the future. The fish that Thompson Hatchery produces are an extremely important tool that management biologists can use to stock in lakes and streams to enhance existing fish populations, or to introduce a species into a new environment.

Fisheries Division in Michigan consists of four sections: Program Services, Fisheries Research, Fisheries Management, and Fish Hatcheries. All four Fish Division sections must work together to ensure that Michigan fisheries will endure today and into the future. Thompson is one of six Michigan Hatcheries that are assisting the other sections of Fish Division in ensuring continuance of Michigan's rich fishing history.

Areas of Interest to the Public:Thompson Hatchery has many areas of interest that will enhance any vacation or just make for an enjoyable visit. Visitors are invited to the hatchery during normal hatchery hours to observe the hatchery staff working with the fish in the tanks or raceways. You may also like to mingle in the Great Lakes Ecological Information Center (children especially love the hands-on interpretive computers) where you can learn valuable information concerning Michigan watersheds and other aspects of fish culture. You may also take a self-guided tour around the hatchery where you can read the informative signs strategically located around the facility. As you tour the facility, be sure to view the fish as you walk through the raceways buildings. Enjoy the newly constructed interpretive trail which winds around Thompson Creek and past the hatchery show pond where you may view massive fish lurking in the depths. In the heat of the summer the children, as well as adults, love to catch some of the abundant grasshoppers and feed them to the fish in the show pond. Fish caught from nearby lakes and streams should not be brought to the hatchery grounds for verification or certification due to disease concerns.

Hatchery Hours: Thompson Hatchery's grounds are open to the public at no charge from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM seven days a week. For more information, or to schedule group tours call (906) 341-5587. The hatchery building is closed to the public to protect the health of the young fish.