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Where to From Here

Where to From Here. Mark P. Ebener Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority. Take Home Message. The System is in Good Shape!!. In-lake Habitat in Good Condition. All forms of lake trout Abundant. 350. 300. 250. 200. Kilograms per Kilometer. Siscowet. 150. 100. Lean. 50. 0. 1950. 1960.

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Where to From Here

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  1. Where to From Here Mark P. Ebener Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority

  2. Take Home Message The System is in Good Shape!!

  3. In-lake Habitat in Good Condition

  4. All forms of lake trout Abundant 350 300 250 200 Kilograms per Kilometer Siscowet 150 100 Lean 50 0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

  5. Lake Herring Partially Recovered 700 600 500 400 CPUE (kg/km) 300 200 100 0 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998

  6. Sturgeon, Walleye, & Brook Trout Present >Increasing in Abundance >Sturgeon & Walleye widespread

  7. Invasive Species >Recent Invaders Benign >Sufficient Buffering Capacity Present Fish Community

  8. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives • Balance Sea Lamprey Control & • Rehabilitation Native Fishes • Passage for Sturgeon & Walleye • Native Lampreys in Canada • Sturgeon Treatment Protocol

  9. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives 2. Tributary Restoration & Protection • Rehabilitation Sturgeon, Brook Trout, Walleye • Require Watershed Mgt Plan • Coalition Building • governments, interested citizens, agencies • Long-term prospect of 50+ years

  10. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives 3. Fish Consumption Advisories Inevitable • LaMP Load Reductions not sufficient Mercury 60% by 2000 100% by 2020 PCBs 33% by 2000 100% by 2020 Dioxin 80% by 2005 100% by 2020

  11. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives 4. Effective Ballast Water Management • Non-indigenous species will continue to arrive • Address vectors for future invasions

  12. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives 5. Lack of Information • Lack abundance & biomass estimates • Lake trout • Lake Whitefish • Siscowet • Pacific salmon • Walleye • Lake herring & chubs • Burbot • Sucker

  13. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives 6. Define appropriate harvest levels • Is 40% mortality correct for lake trout • Is 65% mortality correct for whitefish • Target fishing mortality for herring • most at risk species

  14. Achievement of Fish Community Objectives 7. Agency Commitment • Hinder information gathering & evaluation • Ontario commitment lacking many years • State Governments downsizing

  15. Future Research Needs >14 Different Recommendations • Assessment • Habitat Restoration & Evaluation • Species Interactions • Genetics and Stock Structure • Fish Community Structure • Lake-wide Lake Trout Model • Sea Lamprey Control

  16. Research Needs • Research & Assessment • Offshore waters • Acoustic, trawling, gill nets, hooks • Estimate abundance pelagic & benthic species • Understand habitat use • Role in supporting sea lamprey production • Understand trophic interactions

  17. Research Needs • Map in-lake & • tributary habitat • Link habitat & fish • Evaluate carrying capacity • Ability to achieve FCO’s

  18. Research Needs 3. Understand Species Interactions • Pacific salmon & brook trout • Sea lamprey host selection • Siscowet & lean lake trout

  19. Research Needs 4. Understand genetic & stock structure • Lake trout form differentiation • Stock boundaries • Number Lake herring stocks • Brook trout population genetics • Lake sturgeon genetics • Deepwater ciscoes differentiation

  20. Research Needs 5. Understand Fish Community Structure • How physical & chemical parameters shape it • Connection of prey to lower trophic levels • Relate community to habitat in FCOs

  21. Research Needs 6. Develop Lake-wide Lake Trout Model • Determine rehabilitation limits • Estimate Harvest Limits • Evaluate Sea Lamprey Control • Evaluate Mortality Targets • Evaluate Management Strategies

  22. Research Needs 7. New Sea Lamprey Control Techniques • Pheromones • Native Lampreys • Innovative Barriers • Selection of Streams for Treatment • Control Lentic Populations • Increase Frequency of Treatments

  23. Future Fish Community • Brook trout populations resurge • No need to stock hatchery-reared fish • Lake sturgeon populations will increase • Illegal harvest of sturgeon will increase • Demand for herring roe will increase • Habitat degradation will continue • Several new non-indigenous species

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