Research Vessel Arcticus
The R/V Arcticus operates on Lakes Huron and Michigan.
The R/V Arcticus, based in Cheboygan, Michigan, was built in 2014 and currently operates on Lakes Huron and Michigan. The Arcticus is used primarily to carry out annual prey fish assessments, which have occurred since the 1970s. The annual assessments provide current information on the prey fish base to fisheries managers and are used to facilitate understanding of long term population trends in the fish community. Data on prey fish populations are especially important in evaluating management strategies such as predator stocking and harvest quotas. The Arcticus can be at sea thirty days with sleeping accommodations for eight people. The Arcticus has a full galley and two heads with showers.