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State of Lake Huron Percids
David G. Fielder & James P. Baker Michigan DNR Lloyd C. Mohr Ontario MNR
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Sport Harvest numbers and yield in Michigan waters of Lake Huron, 1999
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Notable historic walleye populations & fisheries in Lake Huron.
St. Marys River St. Joseph Channel Thessalon River Mississagi River Spanish River McGregor Bay Chikanishing River St. Ignace French River & Lake Nipissing Straits Magnetawan River Cheboygan River Shawanaga River Ocqueoc River Shebeshekong River Moon River Thunder Bay Severn River Au Sable River Nottawasaga River Saginaw Bay Notable historic walleye populations & fisheries in Lake Huron. Schneider and Leach 1977 Schneider and Leach 1979 Reckahn and Thurstan 1991 Saginaw River System Lower lake Sources
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Fish Community Objectives for Walleye
Reestablish and/or maintain walleye as the dominant cool-water predator over its traditional range with populations capable of sustaining a harvest of 0.7 million kg.
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Walleye Yield from Lake Huron 1885 - 1999
FCO
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Walleye yield in Lake Huron
FCO Objective average yield 99.7% commercial 0.3% sport 100% sport Michigan Sport, CORA commercial, Ontario sport, Ontario commercial. There is no Michigan commercial fishery for walleye, No data available for Ontario First Nation extractions. Data does not include tributary harvest which can be substantial.
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Lake Erie walleye tag returns
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Lake Huron walleye mixed stock composition
8 Georgian Bay river sources; reduced genetic diversity attributed to human influences Lake Huron walleye mixed stock composition 60-70% Lake Erie fish 10-20% Tittabawassee River fish 10-20% Thames River fish
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Commercial or subsistence harvest of walleye in Lake Huron
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Walleye Stocking in Lake Huron
St. Marys River Whitefish falls Spanish River St. Martins Bay MacGregor Bay Little Current Key River Sheguindah Magnetawan River Naiscoot River Shawanaga River Shebeshekong River Sequin River Boyne River Port Rawson Bay & Moon River Thunder Bay Severn & North Rivers Au Sable River Saginaw Bay Walleye Stocking in Lake Huron Saginaw River System
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Walleye Yield from Saginaw Bay
Pre 1945 commercial ave ~453.6 Tonnes or about 1 million lbs. Since 1983, sport ave ~165 Tonnes or about 363,724 lbs.
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Fish Community Objectives for Yellow Perch
Maintain yellow perch as the dominant nearshore omnivore while sustaining a harvestable annual surplus of 0.5 million kg.
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St. Marys River Whales Back Bay of Islands Les Cheneaux Islands LaCloche Islands Gore Bay Georgian Bay Thunder Bay Stokes Bay Severn Sound Harrisville Chantry Island Oscoda Baie Du Dore Tawas Bay Point Clark Notable historic or current yellow perch populations & fisheries in Lake Huron. Port Austin Port Albert Harbor Beach Saginaw Bay Goderich Bayfield Grand Bend Kettle Point Blue Point
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Yellow Perch Yield from Lake Huron 1894 - 1999
FCO
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Yellow Perch yield in Lake Huron
FCO Objective 87% commercial 13% sport 23% commercial 77% sport Michigan sport, Michigan commercial, CORA commercial, Ontario sport, Ontario commercial. No data available for Ontario First Nation extractions & 1999 Ontario sport harvest estimated on average.
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Commercial and subsistence fishing for yellow perch in Lake Huron
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Mean length at ages 3 and 4 for Saginaw Bay Yellow Perch
250 200 150 Total length (mm) 100 50 87 89 91 93 95 State avg. 97 99 Year Age 3 Age 4
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Yellow perch CPUE (abundance) in survey nets, sport fishery harvest (estimates in thousands), and angler CPUE (perch/hr.) for Les Cheneaux Islands for
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Emerging Issues Ontario waters: Eastern Georgian Bay / North Channel Stewardship Council Strategic assessment plan for nearshore populations New harvest regulations anticipated. Walleye recovery research concluding on Saginaw Bay OTC marking of walleye Walleye mixed stocks in Lake Huron St. Marys River assessment plan Michigan waters: Issues in common:
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Advances needed to achieve walleye FCOs
Saginaw Bay walleye fishery needs to reach potential Improved fish passage or dam removal is needed basin wide Reduced harvest in some areas Advances needed to achieve yellow perch FCOs Main basin near shore habitat needs restoration.
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