After two public meetings and the formation of
an Inland Lake Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee, the MDNR
Director with the support of the Fisheries Division approved new
regulations that will allow the harvest of walleyes to continue in
Mullett Lake during 2010. The regulation reduces the creel limit
from 5 to 3 and the beginning of the season has been moved from the
last Saturday in April to May 15. The waters covered by the new
rules will include Mullett Lake, the Cheboygan River from Mullett
Lake to the Cheboygan Dam and the Black River from the Alverno Dam
to the Cheboygan River. There was support expressed for reducing
the bag limit and the season length during the public meetings so
these new rules should be a reasonable compromise.
Besides the regulation changes, the State and
Tribes have agreed to work together and conduct additional
assessments, not only in Mullett Lake, but also in Burt, Crooked,
Pickerel, and the tributaries. This is a complicated ecosystem
because the walleye migrate back and forth within the waterway. For
example, natural reproduction in Pickerel and Crooked Lakes often
produces large numbers of walleyes in spite of the small size of the
water bodies. These fish have a tendency to migrate downstream and
provide significant numbers of walleyes for both Burt and Mullett
Lakes.
The creel survey will continue in Mullett Lake
during 2010 to obtain information to help understand the nature of
the recreational fishery. It is helpful to know not only the total
harvest but also the amount of catch and release fishing that is
being practiced. In addition, there is little data available on the
winter fishery in Mullett Lake and the survey will provide a more
reliable estimate of the harvest. On most lakes, about 20% of the
walleyes are harvested through the ice but because of the deep
nature of Mullett Lake, it is anticipated that the harvest will be
much less.
There is interest in enhancing stocking in the
waterway but it must be determined if there is enough food available
to feed the additional walleyes. Care must be used to prevent
stocking too many walleyes because there could be negative impacts
to the other fisheries. For example, if food becomes scarce the
walleyes can dramatically reduce perch populations, which reduces
the quality of both fisheries. If research shows that stocking is
feasible, there is interest in forming partnerships with
stakeholders, the State and the Tribes to provide significant
numbers of walleye for planting.
A positive result of the meetings held to
discuss the Mullett Lake walleye issue has been the increase in
communications between the public, the State and the Tribes. Dr.
Kelley Smith, Chief of the MDNR Fisheries Division, encouraged the
formation of an Inland Lake Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee
composed of representatives from organizations and interests in the
area. The Committee was formed and I became the new Chairperson and
we met on November 23, 2009 with representatives from the Fisheries
Division including, Dr. Smith, Dr. Steve Hewitt, MDNR Basin
Coordinator and Tim Cwalinski, MDNR biologists. Besides discussing
the options to the Mullett Lake walleye fishing regulations it was
agreed that the Committee would become permanently established. The
goal is to conduct the meetings under a similar format that is used
to conduct the MDNR Great Lakes Fishery Advisory Committee
Meetings. I am Chair of the Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory
Committee and I have been a member since the Committee was
established in 1989. The Committee has provided a very productive
forum for the exchange of ideas between stakeholders and the
Fisheries Division. The stakeholders are able to bring their
constituents concerns and suggestions to the meetings and
participate in forming MDNR fishery goals and objectives. The
stakeholders then return home with much knowledge of the various
issues and they are aware that they and their constituents have
contributed to formulating policy.
One item being considered for discussion at the
next meeting Inland Advisory Meeting is obtaining older surveys of
plankton, insects, baitfish and other food web information for all
of the large lakes. This information will be used to compare it to
the conditions that currently occur in the lakes. Tipp of the Mitt
Watershed Council has been obtaining important chemical and
biological data from these lakes since 1987 that shows the
conditions of the lakes before and after the invasion of the zebra
mussels. It appears that many of the changes occurring with the
food web in Lake Huron are occurring in these inland lakes. These
changes could be responsible for the lower number of walleye being
found in the larger inland lakes. Unfortunately, the exotic
invasive species are spreading beyond the Great Lakes and appear to
be having similar affects in some of the inland waters. I will
provide more information on the food web changes in the inland lakes
in future newsletters.
LAKE HURON UPDATES from Frank Krist
August 11, 2009
An Update on
Atlantic Salmon
In a previous newsletter, I mentioned that
the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) was
interested in investigating the potential of expanding the
Atlantic salmon program because the Atlantics have adapted well
to the food web changes in Lake Huron and are surviving much
better than any other species of salmon or trout. The MDNR has
decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the feasibility of
raising Atlantic salmon in the State hatchery system.
Researchers from Michigan State University are currently
building a database of published information to learn as much as
possible about the life history and culture techniques of
raising this fish. Atlantics are notorious for being very
susceptible to disease and crowding when in hatcheries, however,
much has been learned to cope with these issues. Roger Greil at
Lake Superior State University has conducted extensive work
since the mid 1980s. He raises the only Atlantics that are
being successfully stocked in the Great Lakes. Another major
Atlantic salmon project was started in Lake Ontario in 2006 but
it is too early to determine if it will be successful. In
addition, Maine has a very successful inland program and
Atlantic salmon are found in over 300 lakes. Much research has
resulted from these projects and even though raising Atlantics
is very challenging this new information provides optimism that
an expanded program in Lake Huron could be successful.
Finally, biologists from the MDNR are in
the process of determining the details of how an Atlantic salmon
pilot study would be conducted. A review of the hatcheries is
necessary along with deciding how and where the fish will be
planted. I will continue to provide updates over the next few
months as progress is made.
Will the
Steelhead Program in Lake Huron be expanded?
The MDNR is looking at improving the
steelhead fishery in Lake Huron. The lake fishery has been good
for many years and continues to be reliable even with the food
web changes. Again this year, steelhead are showing up in the
boat fishery.
Research conducted on Lake Erie shows that
steelhead is an opportunistic feeder and can readily adapt its
diet to eat almost any type of food. Besides feeding on small
fish, steelhead will eat macroinvertebrates including both
aquatic and terrestrial insects. Steelhead will even eat the
tiny invertebrates know as zooplankton if larger food items are
not available. Having a flexible diet allows the steelhead to
cope with the food web changes by being able to find enough food
when baitfish is scarce.
Biologists have been encouraged by the very
successful steelhead fishery that has been occurring in Lake
Erie since the late 1980s. The fishery has been so exceptional
that all jurisdictions around the Lake stopped planting salmon
in 2004 and began to place more emphasis on steelhead. Most
anglers associate Lake Erie with an outstanding perch and
walleye fishery but it has one of the best steelhead fisheries
in the world.
The MDNR only stocks about 400,000
steelhead each year in Lake Huron compared to about 1,400,000
Chinook salmon. Currently, the Lake Huron Management Plan is
being updated and over the next 2 years it will be determined if
emphasis should be shifted toward planting more steelhead.
Public input will be requested before the plan is completed.
MDNR biologists are looking at techniques
to increase steelhead survival. There is evidence that survival
may increase if the fish are held in pens through May instead of
being planted earlier. During the last several years steelhead
have been planted very early in April at some sites to avoid
predation by cormorants. Because of successful cormorant
control efforts, it may be possible to hold the fish longer in
pens before they are released. This will allow the steelhead to
increase in size and acclimate to the planting site before the
fish are released. This should enable the steelhead to move
more quickly to deep water helping it avoid predators such as
birds and larger fish.
It is true that the Great Lakes are
changing but the MDNR biologists are also changing and
constantly looking at strategies that may improve the fishery.
I would like to hear your comments,
questions or suggestions so do not hesitate to contact me.
Frank Krist
Phone: (989)
734-3100 or (989)351-2053
Email
krists@speednetllc.com
The Michigan Department of Natural
Resources (MDNR) is currently updating the Lake Huron Fishery
Management Plan
Because of the vast food web changes that are
occurring in the Great Lakes, the MDNR is planning to revise their
fishery management plan for Lake Huron during the next year. To
insure that the concerns and interests of stakeholders and other
citizens are addressed, the Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory
Committee (LHCFAC) will participate and provide input into the
development of this new plan. In addition, comments will be sought
from the public.
I have been a member of the LHCFAC since it
was formed by the MDNR in 1989. The membership is made up of 30
representatives from organizations with an interest in enhancing the
Lake Huron fishery. Also, participating on the Committee are 9 MDNR
biologists and other agency professionals that are involved in
management of the fishery, including Dr. Kelley Smith, Chief of the
Fisheries Division. An effort has been made to obtain members from
ports located throughout the Lake.
The Committee has been an efficient platform
for MDNR fishery managers to review and discuss at length the
concerns from representatives of various ports and groups. Experts
and research professionals are regularly invited to the meetings to
discuss pertinent issues and challenges. Currently, research is
being conducted by biologists from many fields to investigate the
impacts of the food web changes. This new information is providing
direction to better manage the altered fisheries.
In the next newsletter, I will provide an
overview of the changes occurring in Lake Huron and various
approaches that are being discussed to improve the fisheries. The
ecological changes now taking place in the lake are probably the
most significant in hundreds of years. The key will be to work to
understand the impacts and adapt to them. I am encouraging anyone
with comments concerning any aspect of the Lake Huron fishery to
contact me either by phone, email (see below) or by attending the
Club’s board meetings held on the first Wednesday each month at 7:30
p.m. at the Ocqueoc Township Hall.
Returns to the Swan River salmon weir
The Swan River Weir harvested 4173 Chinook
salmon this season. In three days of egg take activities, Fisheries
personnel collected 2,454,118 eggs from 611 females and shipped the
eggs to Thompson, Platte, and Wolf Lake hatcheries. The egg
viability was good at all hatcheries with 79% eye-up at Thompson,
85% eye-up at Platte Lake, and 90% eye-up at Wolf Lake. The fish
harvested were considered to be in excellent condition, and were
very aggressive at the weir. Four surges of salmon entered the weir
facility during the harvest period. This a significant increase
over the 1400 Chinook harvested in 2007.
Michigan ranks first in natural resources
and 47th in conservation spending per citizen
According to a recent report from the Land
Policy Institute at Michigan State University, Michigan ranks at the
top of the list in terms of the size of its natural resources but it
ranks only 47th in the amount spent per citizen for
conservation. Obtaining adequate funds for properly managing the
natural resources of the State has been very challenging. In order
to provide a quality fishery in Michigan, more research is needed to
cope with the ever changing ecology caused by the accidental
introduction of dozens of exotic species. For example, there were
plans by the State to plant several thousand walleyes into Black
Lake but because of the foreign VHS virus, the hatcheries can not
produce large numbers of fingerlings for stocking. Lack of funding
is limiting the amount of research needed to understand and deal
with the virus. The drastic change occurring in the Great Lakes is
another example of a complicated problem that needs to be
investigated thoroughly but lack of funds is hammering efforts.
A more effective approach of funding the
management of Michigan’s hunting and fishing resources is needed.
Minnesota has recently implemented an innovative method of
generating revenue for managing its natural resources. Minnesotans
were encouraged by the success of conservation referenda that were
being passed. From 1997 to 2004, over 1100 conservation measures
were placed on ballots across the country and over 75% passed
easily. In order to generate about 90 million dollars annually in
new conservation spending, it was decided that the voters would be
asked to approve a ballot issue asking for a 0.125% increase in
state sales tax. That would amount to less than 13 cents of
additional tax for every $100 spent. On Nov 5th the
proposal was approved overwhelmingly. The future is bright for
conservation in Minnesota because a reliable long range funding
source is now in place for decades to come. Is this type of funding
solution needed in Michigan? We can no longer afford to neglect
adequate conservation spending. Good natural resource management
benefits not only outdoor enthusiasts but it is also vital to the
health of the State’s economy.
Frank Krist
Phone: (989) 734-3100 or (989)351-2053 (cell)
Email krists@speednetllc.com
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