LAKE ONTARIO COMMITTEE

Ramada Suites Hotel
Niagara Falls, Ontario
29, 30 March 1994 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Surveillance and Monitoring 

The Lake Ontario Committee recognizes that ongoing surveillance and monitoring programs are essential to understanding the significant changes occurring in the Lake Ontario ecosystem. LOC urges all agencies, institutions and individuals involved in data collection, surveillance and assessment to continue their commitment to such programs and further collaborate in program design, implementation and synthesis.

2. Fish Community Objectives

The LOC renews its commitment to refine fish community objectives for Lake Ontario.  LOC will initiate planning for this process, including consideration of appropriate multi-agency participation and public involvement.

3. Lake Trout Rehabilitation Plan

The LOC charges the Lake Ontario Technical Committee to amend the 1983 Strategic Plan for the Rehabilitation of Lake Trout in lake Ontario to reflect ecological changes and recent research and assessment findings. An amended draft plan should be submitted to the LOC prior to the 1995 annual meeting. The amended plan shall provide interim guidance for lake trout management programs until refinements to the present fish community objectives establish a basis for further revisions to the lake trout rehabilitation plan.

4. Re-establishment of Bloater and/or Deepwater Sculpin

The LOC reaffirms its charge to the LOTC to outline program requirements to re-establish self-sustaining populations of bloater and/or deepwater sculpin. This review should include identification of policy and regulatory requirements, technical feasibility, disease considerations, and a potential time frame.

5. Deepwater Fish Community

To assist in examining the potential for rehabilitation of the "deepwater fish community", the LOC charges the LOTC to conduct a preliminary investigation of the historical status of deepwater strains of lake trout in Lake Ontario.

6. Predator-Prey Task Group

The LOC charges the LOTC with formation of a task group responsible for ongoing modelling of Lake Ontario predator-prey dynamics using the SIMPLE model. This includes maintenance, modification and operation of the SIMPLE model and reporting of findings. This task group may also become a forum for additional analysis and reporting of predator-prey changes occurring in Lake Ontario.

7. Proposed Rainbow Trout Workshop

The LOC supports in principle the proposal for a basin-wide workshop initiative to review and synthesize available information on rainbow trout in the Great Lakes and to provide a forum for discussing related management issues.

8. State of the Lake Report

In recognition of the spirit and intent of State of the Lake reporting, the LOC will continue to produce annual synopsis (e.g. "Signs of Change", "Ecosystem Watch") to update partners, stakeholders and interested public in a timely fashion. It is recognized that more formal and comprehensive State of the Lake reports will be produced on a less frequent basis.

PAS
19 April 94

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