Walleye Statusin

Lake Superior

Stephen T. Schram

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Lake Superior Fish Community Objectives

Maintain, enhance, and rehabilitate self-sustaining populations of walleye and their habitat over their historical

range.

Walleye Subcommittee• Subcommittee formed - 1994

• Status Report - 1996 – Described historic and current status– Identified current spawning rivers

• Rehabilitation Plan - 2001– Objectives for rehabilitation– Issues and strategies– Routine assessment– Research and assessment needs

Known Walleye Spawning Areas

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Historical Harvest

020406080

100120140160

Year

1000's of Kilogams

U.S. Canada

Status in Michigan

Ontonagon River

Huron Bay

Sturgeon River Lac La Belle

Status

• Ontonagon River– Self-sustaining population– Sporadic stocking– Spawning closure April 1-June 10 on the West

Branch

• Lac La Belle– Stocking every other year

Status

• Sturgeon River– Self-sustaining population– Alternate year stocking in Portage Lake

• Huron Bay– Annual maintenance stocking– Assume natural reproduction but not

documented

WaishkeyRiver

TahquamenonRiver

Status

• Tahquamenon River– Self-sustaining population– Alternate year stocking– 1000 fish tagged in 2001

• Waishkey River– Small population– Stocking in Brimley Bay

Status in Wisconsin

St. Louis River

AmniconRiver Kakagon

Bad River

Status• Bad River

– Maintain/increase population size– Stock fry and fingerlings– Conduct fall survey

• Kakagon Slough– Maintain/increase population size– Stock fry and fingerlings– Population estimate every 3 years– State fingerling stocking Chequamegon Bay– Bioenergetics study Chequamegon Bay

Status

• St Louis River (including Amnicon River)– Annually monitor population characteristics– Conservative angling regulations– Maintain high population size to buffer

potential adverse impacts from invasive aquatic species

– Consumption advisory

Status in Ontario

Pigeon RiverPine River

Kaministiquia RiverCurrent River

Black Sturgeon River Nipigon BayBlack Bay

Status

• Pigeon River– Small self-sustaining population

• Pine River– Small self-sustaining population

• Kaministiquia River– River resident population

Status

• Current River– Self-sustaining population– Spawning reef created at river mouth

• Black Bay– Limited adult transfer by sports club– Genetic study in progress– North end of bay has a 0 possession limit

Current River Walleye Reef

Status

• Black Sturgeon River– Resident river population– Genetic study in progress

• Nipigon Bay– Limited natural reproduction– 0 possession limit– Stocking experiment inconclusive– Resident population in tributaries

Montreal River

BatchawanaBay

Goulais Bay

Status• Goulais Bay

– Population depressed– Spawn in Goulais River– Fry stocking failed– Restrictive angling regulations

• Batchawana Bay– Population depressed– River spawners

• Montreal River– Small spawning population

Impediments to Rehabilitation

• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas

Impediments to Rehabilitation

• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas

• Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams

Impediments to Rehabilitation

• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas

• Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams

• Spawning areas difficult to sample (e.g. Bad River, remote Ontario rivers)

Impediments to Rehabilitation

• Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas

• Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams

• Spawning areas difficult to sample (e.g. Bad River, remote Ontario rivers)

• Slow growing, age structure skewed toward old fish, highly variable recruitment

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies

• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies

• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%

• Determine vital statistics of minor populations

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies

• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%

• Determine vital statistics of minor populations

• Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies

• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%

• Determine vital statistics of minor populations

• Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat

• Increase implementation of forestry and agricultural practices within watersheds

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies

• Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%

• Determine vital statistics of minor populations

• Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat• Increase implementation of forestry and

agricultural practices within watersheds• Stocking should be done with fingerlings

Acknowledgements• Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

– Jeff Black– Mike Friday– Mike Petzold

• Michigan Department of Natural Resources– Vern Nurenberg– Jim Waybrant

• Bad River Natural Resources Department– Rick Huber