JM Hessenauer

One of the projects I worked on before and after my retirement was assembling a History of the Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station document. The pdf can be found on the stations website at this link:

www.michigan.gov/dnr/-/media/...

Warming riverscapes annually challenge the role of thermal refuges for thermoregulating salmonids While our model assumes static thermal refuge conditions due to data limitations, our findings highlight the limits of riverscape thermal refuges as a conservation tool under intensifying climatic co...

Individual-based models reveal thermal refuges insufficient for brown trout survival during extreme heat events, predicting up to 86% mortality despite refuge availability. New paper!
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Grist is looking for an Upper Great Lakes reporter to cover climate impacts, environmental health, and solutions to the climate crisis, primarily for a local and regional audience. #journalismjobs

Apply here: job-boards.greenhouse.io/grist/jobs/4...

Check out this great article that features some of the work that our office has done!

Sitting inside an inflatable life raft

A scuba divers giant steps into the water

A couple of busy days on the R/V Channel Cat. Safety/emergency training yesterday and diving on acoustic receivers today!

YouTube video by Will Schultz Lake Macatawa Muskellunge Telemetry Study

Sweet video put together by our partners about recent Muskie tagging!

youtu.be/yHT_VbBxqoo?...

YouTube video by US National Archives Don't Be a Sucker

Don't be a sucker youtu.be/vGAqYNFQdZ4?...

Thanks for sharing this!

Check out our new paper! We examined demographic tends of a #GreatLakes smallmouth bass population in an effort to explain improvements in size structure. We believe a steady decrease in mortality is the best explanation! Find it here authors.elsevier.com/a/1kXkn1MRgT...

Image of a poster with a photo of a lake beneath blue sky. Poster text: Graduate position in freshwater fish evolution. The Mandeville Lab at Northern Michigan University is recruiting a MS student to work on the evolutionary genomics of freshwater fish (fall 2025). Research in our lab group focuses on how evolutionary processes shape freshwater fish biodiversity. Specific focus areas include hybridization, effects of anthropogenic disturbance, population connectivity, and the evolution of fish sex determination mechanisms. Project topic will depend on the interests of the successful candidate. Ongoing work in the lab includes evolution of hybrid unisexual dace lineages, leuciscid minnow hybridization or demography in response to anthropogenic change, and genetic diversity or population connectivity of lake whitefish. Candidates interested in evolution, fish biology, ecology, genetics, conservation, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Desired qualifications include the ability to balance working independently and collaboratively, excellent work habits, and strong writing skills. Projects will involve analysis of high resolution genomic data, requiring computational approaches and high performance com- puting. No prior computational experience is required, but applicants must be enthusiastic about building their computational skills. The Mandeville Lab aims to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applications from students who are members of historically excluded or marginalized groups. NMU is located in Marquette, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Marquette is a small but vibrant city on the southern shore of Lake Superior, located close to beautiful natural areas. To apply, please send a letter of interest, CV, unofficial transcript, and contact information for 3 references to Dr. Liz Mandeville, lmandevi@nmu.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a suitable candidate is identified.

I am still looking for a Master's student to join my lab at Northern Michigan University in fall 2025. Please get in touch if you are interested, and share with keen students interested in fish, genetics, or evolution!

Understood! Thanks for the clarification.

Am I interrupting the statistic that only 33% of Germans think angling is a worthwhile hobby correctly??

Outboard motor on the back of a boat running at a fast speed. Water is calm expert for the boat wake. Blue sky with some clouds breaking it up.

We don’t get many “nice” December days on the water on the #GreatLakes. No complaints from me today. Last of our #telemetry receivers have been deployed. @jmhessenauer.bsky.social

Registration for the award-winning Michigan State University Extension Introduction to Lakes Online course is open! This introductory six-week online class is designed for anyone interested in gaining a greater appreciation for inland lakes including concerned residents, decision makers, local leaders, and lakefront property owners. Course instructors include faculty from MSU Extension and state agency personnel. The course covers a variety of topics including lake ecology, watershed management, shoreline protection, aquatic plants, Michigan water law, and community engagement. These topics are explored online through video lectures, interactive activities, and discussion forums. Additional resources are also provided for those looking to dive deeper. Participants communicate with each other and instructors through lively discussion forums and biweekly Ask-an-Expert webinars which include guests from organizations such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Registration is open now through January 28, 2025. The cost of the course is $115 per person. Register by January 6 for an early bird price of $95 per person. Scholarships are available. Current individual members of the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association are eligible to receive a $95 reimbursement upon successful completion of the course. A certificate of completion is awarded to those who complete the class. Participants also can receive continuing education credits including 16 Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Pesticide Applicator Re-Certification credits (8 commercial core and 8 aquatic) and educational hours in the MSU Extension Master Gardener, Master Citizen Planner, and Michigan Naturalist programs. Learn more and register at www.canr.msu.edu/lakesonline.

Registration for Michigan State University Extension's award-winning Introduction to Lakes Online course is open! This six-week online class is designed for anyone interested in gaining a greater appreciation for inland lakes.

Come learn about lakes with us!

www.canr.msu.edu/courses/intr...

Icy drive back down south from our biologists conference today 🥶

Black Bass Symposium San Antonio, Texas • August 10 -14, 2025

Black Bass 2025.

storymaps.com/stories/baf0...

Two scuba divers walk into the water on a grey day.

Came up empty looking for an @glatos-fish.bsky.social receiver in the Flint River today. Receiver is there but buried deep in the sand! Water 45 F 🥶 with @bradu20.bsky.social

Ok... So these are pretty damn cool!!

Make yours:

scholargoggler.com

Two fisheries scientists hold up largemouth bass with a lake in the background.

A small spotted Muskie

Wrapped up of Lake St Clair Nearshore fish survey today about two weeks later than normal. Tons of big Largemouth Bass and finally got a juvenile Muskie! #Fisheries

Home - FishAge: Known-Age Fish Image Database Building on the vision of Dr. Mark Pegg and Dave Buckmeier, our team came together in the summer of 2021 to brainstorm a means to determine the availability

If you age fish with calcified fish structures, check out our new website that displays images of known-age fish. Learn how to age fish and touch up on your skills! www.fishage.org
🐟 #fisheries
#fishsky
#otoliths

Mute Swan sitting awkwardly in an aluminum boat. I’m giving the camera a thumbs up in the background.

Looking down at a Mute Swan resting in an aluminum boat.

A mute swan is swimming away on a calm lake. Trees and houses in the background.

Found a swan in distress today while working a fish survey. Discovered it was hopelessly tangled in fishing line. 😔 After cutting it free it was exhausted so it rode around with us for awhile. Decided it was time to release it when it bit my boot. 😉 #GreatLakes #birds @jmhessenauer.bsky.social

Pumpkinseed sunfish laying on a measuring board.

Some big strong Pumpkinseeds from our nearshore electrofishing survey today. One of my favorite fish species! @bradu20.bsky.social

Livewell on boat full of fish and vegetation

Largemouth Bass on wood measuring board

Another Largemouth Bass on wood measuring board

Biggggg Largemouth Bass were the highlight of this morning’s electrofishing survey on Lake St Clair!
@jmhessenauer.bsky.social
#GreatLakes
#fish

Lake St Claire largemouth bass

A large white crappie

Just another day at the office!

Pretty sweet day today!

Showcasing the DNR: Pro anglers help DNR

Check out @bradu20.bsky.social and myself in this DNR showcase article!

content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MID...

Fish surgery setup inside ice shanty.

Amazing setup to tag some inland Cisco this evening! Fisheries!

Two fishery scientists holding up two large Smallmouth Bass

Finished up our nearshore electrofishing survey with these beautiful Great Lakes Smallmouth Bass!

🐟🐠🌊
#fisheries #GreatLakes

Photo credit to @bradu20.bsky.social

Gila trout PhD assistantship flyer with the following text: The Pregler Lab in the USGS New Mexico Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit and the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology at New Mexico State University invites applications for a PhD assistantship beginning late spring/early summer 2024. This position will focus on assessing the effects of a Gila trout outcrossing experiment in the Gila National Forest. The student will develop questions investigating the various fitness outcomes of outcrossing (i.e., genetic rescue potential), and the mating structure and reproductive success through fieldwork and genetic & pedigree analyses. Benefits include guaranteed funding for five years, RA salary 26-27k/year, tuition waiver, health insurance reimbursement. Applications due November 27th 2023. Eligibility and instructions on how to apply can be found at https://preglerlab/join. Questions about the position should be sent by email to kpregler@nmsu.edu.

🚨PhD position in my lab!🚨 Want to work on conservation genetics of one of the rarest trout species in North America in the beautiful Gila National Forest wilderness? Details w/ eligibility and how to apply: preglerlab.com/join Questions should be sent by email. Pls share! 🐟

Advertisement for a Pecos pupfish MS assistantship. The Pregler Lab in the USGS New Mexico Cooperative Research Unit and the Department of Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Ecology invite applications for a MS assistantship beginning fall 2024. This position will focus on conservation genomics of Pecos pupfish populations in New Mexico. The student will investigate (1) population structure, (2) evidence of selection/local adaptation, & (3) potential admixture with sheepshead minnow. Results will help guide future translocation efforts and inform a genetic monitoring plan for Pecos pupfish. Benefits include $26,252 annual salary, tuition waiver, health insurance reimbursement, and funding for travel to conferences and workshop training. Applications are due December 15th 2023. Eligibility and application instructions can be found in the full announcement posted at https://www.preglerlab.com/join.

🚨MS position in my lab!🚨 Conservation genomics of Pecos pupfish which persist in extreme habitats in saline springs and gypsum sinkholes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Details w/ eligibility and how to apply: preglerlab.com/join Questions should be sent by email. Pls share! 🐟