Lake Huron Fish-Community Objectives and Guiding Principles


	•Species mix/Fishing Opportunities-A fish community can be described by its species mix, those qualities(stability, balance, sustainability, and diversity) which enable it to persist and by measures of fishing opportunities(human needs) it offers. Generally, public attention (and it follows the agencies’ attention) is focused on harvest.
	•Habitat- fish numbers and species composition are strongly influenced by habitat features---for example most of Huron is deep and cold except for some embayments---features that are beyond human control.
	•Management- opportunity for management of fish populations and habitat is limited. Habitats can be rehabilitated to some degree nearshore and in tributaries but not offshore. Beyond the near shore managers can exert an influence through fishing regulations, stocking and sea lamprey control. However, management actions are inexact. Stocking for example can produce short term gains that are difficult to sustain long-term.
	• Invaders-we have had little influence on the rate of introduction of exotics. Probably the greatest impacts(alteration of the food webs) by exotics are just beginning to be understood.
	•2000 and 2010 Fish Community Objective Reviews- because FCOs for an entire lake cannot be taken to a high degree of exactness, fishery management opportunities are limited, and management initiatives aimed at achieving objectives will have a large experimental component, 2000 and 2010 are priority years for review.