LAKE MICHIGAN COMMITTEE

Water Tower Inn
 Sault Ste. Marie, ON
23 March 2001

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

LMC: Chairman Tom Trudeau (IlDNR), Brian Briedert (InDNR), Tom Gorenflo (COTFMA), Bill Horns (WDNR), Tom Rozich (MDNR)

1. RV Sturgeon Update

Nancy Milton (USGS) briefed the LMC on the status of the RV Sturgeon (to be built by July 2002) and plans for hiring staff to support the program. The LMC charged the LMTC to advise it on expectations and needs for the USGS big boat program and associated staff requirements.

2. Lake Trout Review and Revision Timeline

The LMC will conduct a September 2001 workshop to begin the process of revising the Lake Trout Rehabilitation Plan. Rehabilitation strategies and timelines will be developed at that time. The LMC agreed that before the workshop is convened, the Phase I report (the review of the 1985 Plan) will have been completed and each signatory agency to the Joint Strategic plan will have been asked to submit a three-page commentary addressing 1) the agency's commitment to sustaining the restoration program, 2) concerns regarding the 1985 Plan, and 3) A concise list of principles or strategies that should be retained in the new Plan.

3. Lake Trout Stocking Changes to Meet Consent Decree

The LMC will consider at its next meeting a resolution re the Consent Agreement. While pleased that SGLFMP was referenced in the Michigan-Tribal agreement, some LMC members not party to the agreement were concerned that issues such as stocking ceilings and salmon harvest be addressed within LMC in a lakewide context.

4. Use of the Deepwater Lake Trout Klondike (Humper) Strain

The LMC will use the occasion of the September 2001 review of the 1985 lake trout plan to provide direction to the USFWS on any foreseen need for the Klondike strain for stocking Lake Michigan. A letter will be sent to the USFWS advising them of this.

5. Fish Health (BKD) Screening Process

The LMC will discuss at a later date setting a level of Renibacterium salmoninarum that stocked fish should not exceed without its consent.

6. LMTC Chairmanship Change

The LMC will consult with Mark Holey (USFWS) on a successor for chair of the Lake Michigan Technical Committee.

7. Acoustic Survey Addendum to Lakewide Assessment Plan

The LMC approved creation of an Acoustics Task Group, and directed that acoustics be incorporated into a lakewide assessment plan. 

8. Decision Timeline for Achieving Lakewide Salmonid Stocking Objective

The LMC discussed strategies for not inadvertently exceeding the lakewide salmonid stocking objective.

9. Recovery and Processing of OTC Marked Chinook Salmon

Mark Holey (USFWS) will query PIs to determine if they wish to seek LMC sponsorship to the Coordination Activities Program of a proposal for recovery and processing of OTC marked chinook salmon.

10. State of Lake Report 

The LMC discussed progress in publishing the state of the lake report.

11. Lakewide Creel Database Status

Chuck Bronte (USFWS) and Jim Bence (MSU) will work on updating the lakewide creel database. WDNR has been submitting its data.

12. Prioritizing Fish & Wildlife Restoration Research Proposals

LMC members will evaluate Restoration Act proposals, forwarding reports 1 April to LMC Chair Tom Trudeau, who will compile results and return to LMC for approval before forwarding to Review Committee Chair Jack Wingate (WDNR) 5 April.

13. Sponsoring CAP Proposals

There were no proposals for LMC to sponsor to the Commission’s Coordination Activities Program..

14. Officers

Tom Gorenflo (CORA) will chair LMC though 2003, and Bill Horns (WDNR) will serve as vice chair.