PROPOSED SALMON STOCKING REDUCTIONS ANNOUNCED

[sagbay]

For Immediate Release
August 27, 2012

PROPOSED SALMON STOCKING REDUCTIONS ANNOUNCED
FOR LAKE MICHIGAN

ANN ARBOR, MI—Following more than a year of consultation with angler groups and other stakeholders, the Lake Michigan Committee (LMC) has proposed a new management strategy for Lake Michigan salmon. Beginning in spring of 2013, the LMC recommends that Chinook salmon stocking in Lake Michigan be reduced to one-half of current stocking levels. With salmon egg collections to begin in September, 2012, fisheries management agencies are now developing plans to decrease fingerling production targets to levels supporting reduced stocking, for a minimum of three years. The LMC comprises representatives from each of the state fisheries management agencies in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA). The Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) facilitates the committee’s activities.

The proposed Chinook salmon reduction is in response to recent increases in natural reproduction of Chinook and declines in the forage base. Recent studies have shown that approximately 55% of Chinook salmon in Lake Michigan is produced naturally, and prey fish (e.g., alewife) are currently at or near historic low levels, conditions similar to those leading to the collapse of prey fish populations in Lake Huron. The planned stocking reductions are intended to maintain a quality Chinook salmon fishery, while reducing the predation on the forage population.

While Chinook salmon are highly dependent on alewives, all Great Lakes salmonids use those forage fish to varying degrees. Balancing predator and prey populations by reducing predation pressure is necessary to stabilize the ecosystem as well as to preserve the quality and diversity of the multi-billion-dollar sport fishery. The LMC’s approach gained widespread support from all agencies and their constituents throughout the decision-making process. Along with the proposed reductions, an adopted monitoring plan should allow management agencies to react quickly if conditions change.

Each LMC member agency must still approve and implement the committee’s recommendations. Under the proposed agreement, the 3.3 million Chinook salmon annually stocked into Lake Michigan would be reduced by 1.6 million fish, for a total of 1.7 million fish to be stocked. Of the reduced stocking, Michigan would shoulder the largest reduction, stocking 1.1 million fewer fish, since Michigan streams currently contribute the majority of the natural reproduction. Wisconsin would reduce its stocking by 440,000 fish, while Illinois and Indiana would reduce by 20,000 and 25,000 fish, respectively. The CORA tribes do not stock Chinook salmon. This proposed stocking reduction should still provide for fall spawning runs for stream and nearshore anglers. Each agency will work with their respective management teams to implement these changes in the manner most appropriate to each jurisdiction.

Contacts:
Tom Gorenflo, CORA: 906-632-0072
Marc Gaden, GLFC: 734-417-8012
Steve Robillard, Illinois: 847-294-4134
Jeremy Price, Indiana: 260-244-6805
Jay Wesley, Michigan: 269-685-6851 x 117
Brad Eggold, Wisconsin: 414-382-7921

[capt.dan]

I like it and it's long overdo. I'd say Lake Michigan has been lucky to have dodged this forage base bullet for as long as it has. You'll only catch 8 salmon instead of 16 in the future, but those fish will probably weigh close to as much as those 16 did in the previous years.

[st.croixsuckerboy]

Dan,
Whats going to happen to the ports that get no natural repo, like the St. Joe? With only wanting to stock 500,000 fish in the state, lets remind you that the little manistee already has 400,000 of those plants garunteed to them (DNR's "Natural" River).

The northern rivers and ports are going to become a joke with people from the rivers that are getting cuts.

My bloods been boiling over this desicion. .

Also the little manistee had the second lowest return 2 years ago (5,776). Anybody remember all the low water and deep fishing from that year? That fall the little manistee also had a RECORD low of (91) fall steelhead.

Last year we had a OUTSTANDING return (14,124 kings) fish, and BOY did we have one heck of a steelhead fishery! Hallelujah for water! Best return we've had in the last 8 years. Could it have been fish stayed out in the lake for another year and were actually 4 or possibly 5 year old fish (hince the BIGGGG fish from LAST YEAR?

Our great buddys from Mi DNR (Jay Westly and Mark Tenello) used to put out reports from the little manistee. Good studys and reads. I cant find any from the last couple years.

This is a quote from a report in 1986.

“Chinook return to the weir at either age 0.1 (jacks), age 0.2, age 0.3, age 0.4, or age
0.5-but most commonly at age 0.2. 1”

"Average weighthas varied from 3.0 to 9.5 pounds for age 0.1, from 7.6 to 20.9 pounds for age 0.2, and from
12.7 to 29.2 pounds for age 0.3."

That data doesnt have alot to do with this, but its nice to see whats going on.

I'd like to see these kind of reports again.

[capt.dan]

The health of the forage base should be the final determining factor IMV Bobby. No food, no fish period. It's collapse is something that can happen very quickly to the fishery. And Spliting hairs between port plants was tried in Huron to satisfy the Indian treaties, it didn't work any better then when over planting all the ports finally desimated the forage base and the salmon fishery was dead. Giving it 3 years to assess just what impact it will have is not that dramatic and probaby not that tramatic to the non-plant areas of the Lake. If the inner Bay went totally dead for walleyes in the summer and they were still killing them in AuGres, guess where we would all be? And I've caught many salmon and steelheads from all points planted on Lake Michigan in many of their non-natal rivers, even fish planted in Wisconsin.

Salmon are very Nomadic as you know. Just because they were planted or born in the Manistee don't mean they won't be caught off Frankfurt or Ludington or any place inbetween in their travels and search for forage. The forage migrations and prevaling winds (From ice out to early Fall) dictate most where they are caught in the open waters of the Lake as you know.

Sometimes cutting off the leg to save the body is neccessary. Ask the People in Harrisville if they would have taded their historic lucrative Salmon plants and the boost to their economy for a few solitary plants and given the natural reproduction in Oscoda for 3 years, if the end result would have kept the fishery alive and well in Lake Huron. I'm still for it.

[mayvillemark]

NO, That means the guys that usually catch 12 are gonna catch 6. what about the guys that normally catch 2-5 they are gonna get 1-3. Are you gonna drive 3 hours one way and spend the money on fuel, campgrounds, hotels, and food for 2 fish? Probably not, so michigan's economy takes another hit!

[capt.dan]

[mayvillemark]

Thats true at least the eyes are open this time and are taking preventative measures instead of doing recon 2 years to late.