CLEVELAND, Wis. - Anglers interested in
expanded harvest opportunities for Lake Michigan lake trout and 2017 stocking
plans for brown trout are encouraged to attend two meetings on Jan. 26 at
Lakeshore Technical College.
The first meeting will cover discussion of
the proposed lake trout emergency rule and will run from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Following a short break, the Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum will convene from 6
to 8 p.m. to discuss brown trout stocking plans for 2017.
Both meetings are open to the public and
will be held in the Lake Michigan Conference meeting room at Lakeshore
Technical College, 1290 North Ave., Cleveland, Wis., 53015. In addition, both
meetings will be broadcast online via MediaSite. Interested participants may
join the meetings and provide comments by logging into http://dnrmedia.wi.gov/main/Play/fd9df42af4b3457fb31fdc1ebb3c44271d for
the lake trout meeting and http://dnrmedia.wi.gov/main/Play/9b35d9295362427299078af2f6b451c31d for
the brown trout meeting.
New lake trout harvest opportunities to
produce economic benefits
The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources is moving quickly to develop an emergency rule to increase fishing
opportunities for lake trout in Lake Michigan. A scoping statement for the
emergency rule and a possible permanent rule were approved by the Wisconsin
Natural Resources Board in December.
The rule development effort follows a
series of stakeholder meetings in 2016 during which anglers expressed interest
in harvesting more lake trout. Comments received also favored changing the
season length and other regulations for lake trout.
Brad Eggold, DNR Great Lakes District
fisheries supervisor, said successful management efforts have improved lake
trout populations in Lake Michigan. Currently, anglers are harvesting an
average of 29,500 fish each year. The lake trout season is now closed from Nov.
1 to the end of February.
"Changing our lake trout regulations
would certainly increase interest in targeting lake trout and would have a
positive economic impact with benefits for guides, charter fishing businesses
and many lakeshore communities," Eggold said. "We've listened to
feedback from anglers and are moving as quickly as possible to put an emergency
rule in place. We look forward to discussing this further with anglers at the
January 26 meeting to learn more about their preferences for the rule."
Lake trout populations plummeted following
the arrival of the invasive sea lamprey in 1936 and its rapid proliferation in
the mid-1940s. Coordinated efforts among federal and state agencies aimed at
lamprey control along with lake trout stocking and protective regulations have
helped lake trout rebound. In recent years, natural reproduction also has
improved in some Wisconsin waters.
DNR will use angler feedback gathered at
the January meeting to develop specific language for an emergency rule to be
presented to the Natural Resources Board at the March 1 meeting. In addition,
stakeholders can comment until Feb. 8 via phone, mail or email at DNRLAKEMICHIGANPLAN@wisconsin.gov.
If the proposal moves forward, the regulation changes could be in place as
early as April 1 pending approval by the Natural Resources Board, legislators
and the Governor's office.
Feedback sought for 2017 brown trout
stocking plans
As part of efforts to address lakewide
changes in the food web, DNR and natural resources managers in surrounding
states have worked cooperatively to develop stocking strategies that support a
balance in the ratio of predators to prey. Following numerous stakeholder
meetings and input opportunities in 2016, DNR will pursue an approach that
maintains a diverse fishery and maximizes opportunities for anglers while
adjusting stocking to account for lower levels of available prey species such
as alewives.
Based on DNR surveys, harvest rates for
brown trout are the lowest of any salmon or trout species the department stocks
and to meet lakewide management objectives, Wisconsin brown trout stocking will
be reduced for 2017. Although some anglers are very successful with brown
trout, the overall harvest rate per hour of angler effort targeted toward brown
trout is 40.8 hours. By comparison, the harvest rate per hour totals for other
species are:
- 9.75 hours
for chinook;
- 15.7 hours
for coho; and
- 23.2 hours
for steelhead.
Todd Kalish, DNR deputy fisheries bureau
director, said in particular the Wild Rose strain of fish have not adequately
contributed to the sport fishery and will no longer be stocked into Lake
Michigan. However, the department recognizes the importance of brown trout to
anglers in a number of locations and brown trout stocking will remain a
critical component of the Lake Michigan management strategy.
"We appreciate the interest in brown
trout and the near shore fishing opportunities brown trout provide in many
locations," Kalish said. "As a result, we will continue to stock
seeforellen strain brown trout, which appear to survive better, live longer and
grow larger than the Wild Rose strain. The current world record brown trout
that was caught in Wisconsin was reportedly a seeforellen strain brown trout.
We will continue to work with stakeholders in early 2017 to assess stocking
priorities and locations."
DNR also intends to continue the offshore
brown trout stocking initiative in Green Bay. The Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum
meeting will be used to gauge angler preferences and maximize the benefits of
the continued stocking. Scenarios for consideration may include allocations
based on harvest success; proportional distributions by county; or other
factors.
DNR intends to finalize the stocking
strategy by February.
Stakeholders who are not able to attend the
brown trout and lake trout sessions in person or join via the Mediasite links
also may submit written comments. The deadline is Feb. 8. Send an email
to: DNRLAKEMICHIGANPLAN@wisconsin.gov., or send a
letter to: Bradley T. Eggold, Department of Natural Resources, UWM - GLRF -
SFS, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204.
For more on Lake Michigan fisheries
management, visit dnr.wi.gov and search "Fishing Lake Michigan." Background
information including a copy of the presentation to stakeholders from earlier
this summer can be found by visiting the DNR website and searching "Lake Michigan salmon and trout meetings."
The Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum offers
opportunities for citizens and stakeholders to hear the latest research
findings, management news and trends affecting the lake. The forum is
facilitated by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute with support
from DNR. Representatives from major sport fishing clubs on Lake Michigan and
Green Bay, commercial fishers, the Conservation Congress and the University of
Wisconsin System are formal members of the forum.
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