LAKE HURON COMMITTEE
Weber’s Inn
Ann Arbor, MI
20, 21 March 2000
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. The "Aging Fleet"
The LHC will refer for discussion at the April meeting of the CLC the problem of the “ageing fleet”. MDNR, OMNR, USFWS and USGS alike are
faced with ageing vessels that will soon need to be replaced. OMNR has no vessel on lake Superior. It would be useful to collectively decide on
assessment, research and management needs, in order that these needs can be addressed as vessels are replaced. For example the CLC could write the
USFWS re the desirability of offshore stocking and thus the need to replace the Togue.
2. State of the Lake Report
The LHC reviewed an outline for its 2000 State of the Lake Report, adding a report by Heather Enterline (USFWS) on coaster brook
trout:
Introduction
Eshenroder/Ebener
Background
Plankton
?
Benthic ecology
Tom Nalepa
Fisheries (commercial/sport)
Ebener/Mohr
Openwater
Predators -
lake trout
Woldt/Johnson/Reid
chinook salmon
Johnson/Reid/Wright
walleye
Fielder/Mohr/Baker
burbot
Curtis
rainbow trout
Reid
brown trout
Reid
brook trout
Reid
Atlantic salmon
Reid
pink salmon (pinooks)
Reid
coho salmon
Reid
Prey fish –
rainbow smelt
Argyle/Curtis
alewife
Argyle/Curtis
bloater
Argyle/Curtis
sculpins
Argyle/Curtis
Sea lamprey
Morse/Young/Christie
changes in abundance
control program changes since last report
predicted effects of St. Marys treatment
Openwater Community Dynamics Model
Bence/Dobiesz
Coregonines -
lake whitefish
Ebener/Mohr/Curtis
deepwater ciscoes
Ebener/Mohr/Curtis
lake herring
Ebener/Mohr/Curtis/Fielder
round whitefish
Ebener/Mohr/Curtis
Nearshore Community
Walleye
Fielder/Mohr
yellow perch
Fielder/Mohr/Borgeson
northern pike
Liskauskas/Fielder
muskellunge
Liskauskas
cyprinids/baitfish
Ebener/McClain
centrarchids
Liskauskas/Baker
Sturgeon
McClain/Mohr/Baker
Recent exotics
Bredin/McClain
State of Habitat
Openwater
GLERL
Nearshore
Deni Albert(MDNR)
Adjacent wetlands
Deni Albert
Connecting channels and (St. Marys Task Group)
Tributaries status of habitats as above
Species Diversity
Curtis
Genetic Diversity
Scribner/Burnham-Curtis/Liskauskas
Fish Health
Wright
Future Directions (FCOs)
Ebener/Eshenroder/Johnson/Bence
The LHC also requested a report on sturgeon data with any recommendations on which streams are in need of the sea lamprey control sturgeon
protocol. At the 2001 winter meeting, the LSC and LSTC could subsequently develop management and assessment recommendations for fish
community objectives, lake trout rehabilitation guidelines, and coasters. Mark Ebener (COTFMA) volunteered to edit (after 2000).
The LHC referred to CLC questions re scheduling of the 2000 meeting and state of the lake conference, e.g. 1.5 day? between LMC and LSC? Sault
Ste. Marie, ON. It was hoped that better attendance might result from scheduling the LHC state of the lake report between the meetings of the LMC
and the LSC.
The LHC will consider at a later time the request that it present its state of the lake findings at a subsequent GLWQA State of the Lake Ecosystem
Conference (SOLEC). There was concern re the extent of the time commitment every 5 years.
3. Position Statement on Ballast Water Management
The LHC will provide comments to Chair John Schrouder (MDNR) on the draft position statement for ballast water management.
4. Yankee Reef Beam Trawl Monitoring
The LHC Chair will write the U.S. Geological Survey re the need for beam trawl monitoring of Seneca lake trout stocked on Yankee Reef.
5. USFWS Lake Trout Broodstock Program
While last minute changes in stocking location can usually be accommodated, Bob Adair (USFWS) requested 2-year lead time for changes in tags and
numbers of each strain.
OMNR and USFWS will work on a plan for establishing a broodstock in the USFWS hatcheries of Parry Sound lake trout, with minimal mortality on
this remnant stock. For U.S. import purposes, lethal sampling of 100 fish is usually required.
6. Applying Bioenergetics Model to North Channel and Georgian Bay
Jim Bence (MSU) will train OMNR person (Lloyd Mohr?) in June on use of the bioenergetics model for one species (maybe chinook). OMNR person
will add to bioenergetics model Georgian Bay and North Channel data for chinook, and then for other species.
7. Lake Huron Technical Committee Work Plan and Priorities
After adding sturgeon charge (with target dates) to the LHTC work plan matrix, the LHTC should review all target dates, assigning priorities to the 2000
state of the lake report and bioenergetics model charges.
8. Environmental Effects of Sea Lamprey Barrier Control
The LMC will seek agency input on the current draft of the GLFC’s Policy and Guidelines for Placement of Barriers.
9. Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation
The LHC requested that the LHTC review the MDNR lake strurgeon rehabilitation strategy for possible adoption in whole or in part.
10. Sea Lamprey Management Plan
The LHC directed that the LHTC defer development of a sea lamprey management plan, and revisit question of need in 2005, e.g., costs and benefits of
St. Marys River treatment, accommodating modest numbers of sea lamprey etc.
11. Environmental Objectives, proposed GLFC ‘Great Lakes Fish Habitat Conservation Committee’
The LHC will develop its environmental objectives through the ‘Great Lakes Fish Habitat Conservation Committee’, if established by the GLFC.
12. Stocking in the St. Marys River
The St. Marys River task Group was asked to develop a rationale for stocking and assessment. Refer to Colby’s GLFC Technical Report on walleye
rehabilitation, and to M. Gatt’s (OMNR) findings and recommendations re selection and number of parents, spawning / mating (don’t pool milt), rearing
/ propagation (as natural and as short a time as possible), release (limit to carrying capacity), monitor / evaluate progress, use genetic guidelines (AFS
book by Miller & Kapuscinski).
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