Management of Lake Huron
Achievements in Rehabilitating Lake Huron: Status of the Lake - mid -1990s
In some respects, the Lake Huron fish community in 1992 is
returning to the state that was present early in this century.
However, in many ways the fish community remains a distant image
of what once existed.
- Total fish yields from Lake Huron from 1987 to 1992
amount to 60% of the fish-community objective of 8.9
million kg.
- Current yields of yellow perch, channel catfish, and
coregonines now equal or exceed the fishery objectives
for those species. The current yields may not be
sustainable on a long-term basis.
- The yield objectives for salmonines, walleyes, and
esocids are not being met. Current harvest levels for
these fishes are not sustainable because the stocks are
much reduced in size from historic levels.
- Lake trout are once again reproducing in Lake Huron-but
only in limited areas and quantities.
- Lake sturgeon populations appear to be stable but well
below historic levels of abundance.
- Introduced forage fish such as the rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and the alewife
(Alosa pseudoharengus) are now
less abundant than 20 yr ago and the size structure of
both species is much reduced. The bloater (Coregonus hoyi) is a native forage species that has increased to
the point where it is now the most abundant prey species,
but recruitment has recently declined substantially.
- The sea lamprey continues to impede achievement of
fish-community objectives.
- Productivity in Lake Huron remains below historic levels
because much of the Saginaw Bay basin continues to suffer
habitat problems. Contaminants in Lake Huron fish are
declining, but in certain areas those levels are
sufficient to warrant a restrict-consumption advisory.
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