Project
Validation of an approach to identifying sea lamprey trapping and assessment sites in open river channels
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is supporting an ambitious new effort to outsmart one of the region’s most damaging invasive species—the sea lamprey—by exploring innovative ways to capture them in open rivers where traditional capture techniques fall short. Building on insights from a recent workshop and promising research in Michigan’s White River, this project will investigate whether migrating lampreys consistently follow predictable movement patterns that could make them easier to catch using newly designed open‑water trapping tools. By studying priority rivers across the basin and identifying where lampreys are most vulnerable, the team aims to lay the groundwork for next‑generation control strategies that strengthen existing programs, reduce lamprey reproduction, and protect the Great Lakes ecosystem.