MIW constructed research vessel showcased at harbor

November 15, 2017December 6, 2017 Editor

THE STANFORD H. Smith should be well on its way to its homeport Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Tours for the media were provided Tuesday in Rogers City by, from left, Mark Holey, Mike Mroz, Jason Willis, Gregory Schultz and Scott Speed. (Photo by Peter Jakey)

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor
Moran Iron Works (MIW) has completed and launched a newly constructed research vessel for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
The 57-foot R/V Stanford H. Smith was tied up Wednesday morning at the Rogers City Marina, waiting to head to its port of call this week. It had been undergoing sea trials.
It will be a regional service asset and will assist with fisheries research and monitoring in lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior.
“I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of this project,” boasted Tom Moran, CEO/founder of MIW. “The entire MIW team worked together to deliver this vessel ahead of schedule with superior craftsmanship. I’m even more proud of this accomplishment due to the level of sophistication of the craft.
“Our goal was to make the R/V Smith the flagship of the Service and in my opinion this project was a complete success.”
Mark Holey, project leader from Green Bay Fish & Wild Conservation office, said his agency wanted a versatile boat.
“We did not have a boat before,” said Holey. “This is new for us. We tried to do all of our assessments on smaller boats. We needed a vessel like this, especially one that could take the weather and have speed to get back to shore.”
Holey said it was a great day for the agency, especially with all the new capabilities.
“The vessel is outfitted for bottom and midwater trawling, gill netting, and scientific hydroacoustic sonar and will be a valuable addition to our Great Lakes fleet.”
MIW had the bid awarded back in 2016 and completed the project in less than a year.
“Everything went pretty well,” said Jason Willis, MIW project manager. “We are trying to get it to Surgeon Bay without any problems with the weather.”
Stanford H. Smith’s grandson, Mark Risch, was on hand as staff from USFWS and MIW provided information and media tours.
“He did a lot of work on the Great Lakes,” said Risch. “I was just in awe that they would choose him. He was a very humble person and probably would have said ‘That’s a nice honor,’ but would have continued on his work.”
Smith worked for USFWS in California out of college and moved to the Midwest in 1949. He worked on advanced degrees at the University of Michigan, receiving a doctorate in zoology in 1954. Smith’s dissertation on lake herring (now cisco) of Green Bay, Lake Michigan remains a formative work on the natural history of the species.
“The whole family was stunned when we found out about it,” added Risch. “It is a beautiful boat. I know he would have been very happy to see it, the new technologies on there. I don’t know if grandpa would be driving this boat. He would be in back, checking out what fish were coming up.”
Holey said it will probably be pulled from the water once it arrives at its final 2017 destination, but everyone at the agency looks forward to putting it to great use come the spring.