Fewer young 'kings' stocked

[Steve Arend]

Lake experiment to restore delicate balance

By Kristopher Wenn

Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — Although charter-boat anglers caught a near-record amount of chinook salmon last year in Lake Michigan, the four states surrounding the lake have agreed to stock it with 25 percent fewer chinook this year in an effort to help prevent the fish from eating themselves into oblivion.

Wisconsin has agreed to cut its statewide stocking of chinook salmon by 21 percent, according to Steve Hogler, DNR regional fisheries biologist.

But no one knows whether the biological experiment — cutting chinook salmon stocking levels and therefore propping up the lake's supply of alewife, the small fish that chinook salmon eat almost exclusively — will work.

Fewer young 'kings' stocked

[CaptLevi]

I think I might be in the minority of Charters who agree with the cuts.

However they also should raise the limit to five again in Michigan waters.

And they should plant more Steelhead. There is an article in the Great Lakes Sport Fishing News written by DNR staff which smells fishy to me. They make a lot of excuses for not upping the stocking of other species, but seem to dance their way around the justifications. Nowhere do they justify not increasing steelhead stocks, only coho and trout. (Unless I am missing something).

I am also just a tad skeptical about how long it will take and how many dollars will have to be squeezed from the taxpayer to reinitiate prior stocking levels should the lakes see a turnaround in the forage base.

And what steps are being taken to raise the levels of forage other than lowering the Salmon stocks? All of the answers need to be addressed by the DNR and other agencies involved.

Am I alone here?

It appears by the letter written by Pres. Rick Balabon in the same publication that the MSSFA are asking those questions too but don't seem to be expecting too many answers in the near future.