Lake Michigan Stocking Strategy Survey Results

[Jay Wesley]

This message is sent on behalf of Dr. Daniel O’Keefe, Michigan Sea Grant SW District

Hello,

Thank you for taking time to respond to the 2012 Lake Michigan Salmon Stocking Survey or expressing interest in survey results.

The results are now available and are being considered along with biological data and other factors as managers move toward a decision on future stocking policy. Survey results for the four options presented at the April 14 public meeting were as follows:

OPTION 1: 50% reduction in Chinook salmon stocking for 2013.

Average Rating: FAIR (1.97)

Ranking: 69% WORST, 11% BEST

OPTION 2: 50% reduction in Chinook salmon stocking for 2013; automatically adjust stocking in future based on feedback policy.

Average Rating: between FAIR and NEUTRAL (2.61)

Ranking: 2% WORST, 20% BEST

OPTION 3: 30% reduction in Chinook salmon stocking and 10% reduction in coho salmon, steelhead, and brown trout stocking for 2013; automatically adjust stocking in future based on feedback policy.

Average Rating: NEUTRAL (2.96)

Ranking: 8% WORST, 15% BEST

OPTION 4: 30% reduction in Chinook salmon stocking and 10% reduction in coho salmon, steelhead, brown trout, and lake trout stocking for 2013; automatically adjust stocking in future based on feedback policy.

Average Rating: between NEUTRAL and GOOD (3.28)

Ranking: 20% WORST, 54% BEST

A majority (55%) of people who took the survey did not feel the four options could be improved upon, but 15% proposed greater reductions in stocking and 18% proposed lesser reductions in stocking. With five species being considered and a wide range of opinions expressed there was not a clear-cut consensus among stakeholders regarding the perfect option. However, 97% of respondents agreed that Chinook salmon stocking should be reduced to some extent.

For full details see the fact sheet at:

http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/fisheries/stocking/12-716-Salmon-Stocking-Survey.pdf

Dan O'Keefe, Ph.D.

Southwest District Extension Educator

Michigan Sea Grant

Michigan State University Extension

12220 Fillmore St., Suite 122

West Olive, MI 49456

phone - (616) 994-4580

fax - (616) 994-4579

[email protected]

[EdB]

Thanks for posting the information Jay. I thought it was nice you e-mailed the results out to everyone who registered for the April conference too.

[WALRANGER5]

Only 580 people from all 4 states took the survey, only 271 from Michigan cared what happens to the alewives. This does not indicate "billion of dollars" in interest in keeping the salmon, not by any stretch of the imagination.

[EdB]

The survey was not about measuring the economic impact of the salmon and trout fishery on Lk Mich.

If you look at the number of people who book charter trips each year, and the number of registered members at this and other salmon fishing websites, you'll have a more accurate gauge on the economic value and impact of the Lk Mich salmon fishery.

[WALRANGER5]

The survey was not about measuring the economic impact of the salmon and trout fishery on Lk Mich.

If you look at the number of people who book charter trips each year, and the number of registered members at this and other salmon fishing websites, you'll have a more accurate gauge on the economic value and impact of the Lk Mich salmon fishery.

With respect, this "save the alewives" survey to avoid a "crisis" only generated minimal interest in saving the alewives/salmon. "Billions of dollars" worth of invisible "stakeholders" either didn't care or wern't there in the first place. Regardless this was a vote to increase an invasive species, (alewives) nothing more.

[Turfwrench]

With respect, this "save the alewives" survey to avoid a "crisis" only generated minimal interest in saving the alewives/salmon. "Billions of dollars" worth of invisible "stakeholders" either didn't care or wern't there in the first place. Regardless this was a vote to increase an invasive species, (alewives) nothing more.

Save the alewife campaign??? Is that similar to your save the perch campaign??

[WALRANGER5]

Save the alewife campaign??? Is that similar to your save the perch campaign??

Nope! Restoring the native fish population, (Perch included) is what we're all supposed to be working towards.

According to the experts a diverse native fishery is more resistant to invasive species, they call it (biotic-resistance) in sufficent numbers even zebra mussel populations can be controlled. This alewife survey "too many predators (salmon) will wipe out the alewives" same same, big fish eat litte fish.....

The Seagrant 2012 Lake Michigan salmon stocking survey results, paragraph 2

" The primary purpose of the survey, and the presceding outreach to stakeholders, was to evaluate stocking options on a lakewide basis "in recognition of the FACT that Lake Michigan and it's fish are shared resources"

This "plan" is to refill the lakes with alewives, which by predation on native larval fish (Perch walleye ect..) destroys the "native shared fish resource" for everyone else. Sorry, that's the way it is. Perch eat all the invasives we have now will eat baby Asian carp all day long, but they also eat alewives. So we can't have any bio-tic resistance to any invasive species because that would affect the predator prey balance on the alewives! Some people dont want to share the resource, it's all about them.

Sacrificing an entire natural ecosystem for one fish, is beyond selfish.

[Paulywood]

Well, there are no alewives in Lake Huron but I still see a whole lot of zebra mussels. Same for Lake Erie. Sorry to tell you but the salmon are not going away without a fight from a whole lot of people, many who are members of this website. I haven't seen or heard anything about stocking alewives, just controlling the salmon population so that there is a balance between the two. If you want to debate the merits of certain species over others that's fine. But if you want to continue to try and bully people and brow beat them to your way of thinking it won't be tolerated. By the way, have you ever posted a fishing report or helped out a fellow angler with tips or techniques? Just asking because all I have seen from you is a lot of complaining. Try going fishing and then post a report to help out the other members of the website. It might make you feel better.

[Paulywood]

By the way, thanks for the info Jay. I agree with reducing the number of kings stocked in order to avoid a crash. I don't know what the trawl results will show but the bait population seems to be pretty robust this year. The 2 times I have been out of Holland we have been marking bait like crazy. And the fish size seems to be good too.

[WALRANGER5]

Well, there are no alewives in Lake Huron but I still see a whole lot of zebra mussels. Same for Lake Erie. Sorry to tell you but the salmon are not going away without a fight from a whole lot of people, many who are members of this website. I haven't seen or heard anything about stocking alewives, just controlling the salmon population so that there is a balance between the two. If you want to debate the merits of certain species over others that's fine. But if you want to continue to try and bully people and brow beat them to your way of thinking it won't be tolerated. By the way, have you ever posted a fishing report or helped out a fellow angler with tips or techniques? Just asking because all I have seen from you is a lot of complaining. Try going fishing and then post a report to help out the other members of the website. It might make you feel better.

The native fishery is restoring, without alewives. I have not brow beaten anyone, on the contrary everyone is having the salmon forced on them, by what appears to be only 580 concerned anglers.

Please understand stand, if we lose the alewives, we only lose the salmon , not the whole big lake fishery.

If we lose to the Asian carp, we lose the big lake fishery, and the inland fisheries as well. They will spread inland just like the gobies and what they're doing down south. I am trying to help other "anglers" including you.

[melsell]

Although I am very concerned about the fishery ( and all the fisheries in the region) is that I am just a fisherman. I am not a biologist. After speaking with Dan O'Keaf ,for a good length of time, I would trust his vote for what needs to be done. I believe that they have there finger on the pulse of this fishery and are better educated on the matter. I just go out and find where the concentrations of fish are high so I can catch a bunch:grin: I have no idea what is going on in the whole lake. As much as everyone complains about the DNR, it is amazing that there is always world class fishing in the Great

Lakes. These guys are doing a good job! I prefer to let them ( without my input)

[WALRANGER5]

Although I am very concerned about the fishery ( and all the fisheries in the region) is that I am just a fisherman. I am not a biologist. After speaking with Dan O'Keaf ,for a good length of time, I would trust his vote for what needs to be done. I believe that they have there finger on the pulse of this fishery and are better educated on the matter. I just go out and find where the concentrations of fish are high so I can catch a bunch:grin: I have no idea what is going on in the whole lake. As much as everyone complains about the DNR, it is amazing that there is always world class fishing in the Great

Lakes. These guys are doing a good job! I prefer to let them ( without my input)

From the Seagrant results "Lake Michigan and it's fish are shared resources" I have talked to Dan O'keefe several times, and many others, I did try. Forgive me if I splained it wrong. You cannot solve an invasive species problem by increasing an invasive species. PHD or not, that rule never chages.

[wishfishn]

The one thing that's not mentioned as an option is Michigan doing something to curtail the natural reproduction by salmon in their rivers. The stocking that is taking place in other Lake Michigan states is not the problem nearly as much as the influx of salmon caused by natural reproduction. For any plan to be truly considered it has to include a way to address this.

[Jay Wesley]

The one thing that's not mentioned as an option is Michigan doing something to curtail the natural reproduction by salmon in their rivers. The stocking that is taking place in other Lake Michigan states is not the problem nearly as much as the influx of salmon caused by natural reproduction. For any plan to be truly considered it has to include a way to address this.

The natural reproduction is a result of better water quality, better dam management, and increased access to spawning sites on multiple rivers in Michigan as well as in Lake Huron in Ontario.

Are you suggesting that we reduce water quality and build more dams to prevent natural reproduction? This would affect many species of fish that are not stocked including natives.