A new 66-foot, steel-hulled vessel to monitor Lake Michigan fisheries is replacing an older vessel and will mean more efficient and safer operations for Michigan Department of Natural Resources crew members.
During a ceremony Wednesday in Charlevoix — the new vessel's home port — DNR officials and other fisheries leaders gathered to commission the vessel, which was christened Research Vessel Steelhead, after its predecessor Survey Vessel Steelhead, by DNR Deputy Director Shannon Lott. DNR Fisheries Division Chief Randy Claramunt granted the vessel's commission.
"The importance and meaning of this new vessel to Fisheries Division and the DNR cannot be overstated," said Chief Claramunt. "Lake Michigan is one of the largest freshwater lakes on the planet, and the RV Steelhead and crew will serve as the State of Michigan's primary means to collect data and inform fisheries management decisions on this Great Lake."
Also attending the ceremony and tour were DNR Director Scott Bowen; Patrick Hanchin, manager of the DNR Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station; Dan Lord, manager of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust; and Captain Pat O'Neill, captain of the RV Steelhead. After the vessel was named and commissioned, attendees were able to tour it.
The RV Steelhead was designed by Boksa Marine Design and constructed by Moran Iron Works in partnership with Superior Boats. Funding for this project was provided by appropriations in the state budget bills for 2023 and 2025 by the Michigan Legislature, along with grant funding from Great Lakes Fishery Trust.
Key features of the new vessel include:
- A premium navigation equipment package that will improve accuracy, safety and operational effectiveness on the water.
- State‑of‑the‑art sampling equipment allowing the crew to perform surveys and collect data with increased precision and reliability.
- A streamlined fish‑processing design supporting efficient, organized and high‑volume biological sampling during field operations.
- A SeaKeeper gyrostabilizer, providing a significantly safer and more stable work platform for crews, especially in rougher conditions.
- A multiuse stern platform providing safer and easier access to the water's edge — supporting a wide range of sampling and deployment activities.
- A bow thruster allowing for more precise maneuvering in tight harbors, research sites and challenging wind or current conditions.
- An incorporated solar-charging system, supporting improved energy efficiency and reducing reliance on conventional power sources during operations.
"These features reflect our broader goal of ensuring our field teams have the safest, most capable tools available to carry out the essential work of fisheries research and resource management," Captain O'Neill said.
As the research vessel serving Lake Michigan, the RV Steelhead will be vital for survey work including the spring gill net survey, lakewide acoustic forage fish survey and bottom trawl survey, which monitor species including lake whitefish, lake trout, burbot, yellow perch and prey fish such as alewife and rainbow smelt, as well as invasive species.
For further information on DNR research stations, vessels and fisheries research, visit Michigan.gov/FishResearch.