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Improving Strategies to Restore Aquatic Habitats and Species

Template #72

Approximately 65,000 fall fingerling Atlantic salmon were released in Lake Ontario tributaries in September. Another 8,000 fall fingerling salmon were released in St. Lawrence River tributaries in October in partnership with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. The UV building came on-line in November. The State of Vermont could only provide 50,000 (received December 2011) of the 125,000 Atlantic salmon eggs we requested. We will be purchasing the remaining 75,000 eggs from the State of Maine. Collaborative efforts between the NYSDEC and Tunison resulted in the collection of approximately 70 adult lake herring in Lake Ontario in December. As a result Tunison is now rearing 60,000 plus lake herring eggs in the UV building. Tunison is anticipating receiving bloater eggs in January.

Anthropogenic activities have greatly impacted fish populations in the Great Lakes (Smith 1968, Christie 1972). Of all the Great Lakes, fish populations in Lake Ontario have been impacted the most severely, including the extirpation of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) and deepwater coregonids such as bloater (Coregonus hoyi) and major declines in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis), lake herring (C. artedi) and American eel (Anguilla rostrata) (Smith 1995, Mills et al. 2005, Morrison and LaPan 2007). Loss of spawning habitat and perhaps overfishing are thought to be the major causes for the loss of Atlantic salmon and lake sturgeon, whereas invasive species such as alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordox) are considered to have led to the decline of coregonids, and deepwater sculpin (Christie 1972) as well as Atlantic salmon (i.e. thiamine deficiency) (Ketola et al. 2000). However, more recently the linkage between alewife and coregonids has been questioned (Madenjian et al. 2008). Mortality of adult eels at dams and overfishing on several life stages have contributed to the collapse of eel populations in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River (Casselman 2003, COSEWIC 2006).

Because of the complexities associated with the extirpation or decline of native fish species in the Great Lakes there is no single remedy suitable for the restoration of all species. Recent increases in the abundance of coregonids in the upper Great Lakes are coincident with dramatic declines in alewife populations (Roseman et al. 2009). Unfortunately, although alewife populations in Lake Ontario are declining (Owens et al. 2003), there are no deepwater coregonids remaining in the lake to enable natural recovery. Consequently, the restoration of deepwater coregonids, as well as extirpated Atlantic salmon, must at least initially rely on hatchery reared fish. It is also likely that a major component of lake sturgeon recovery will be based on the stocking of hatchery reared fish since the major bottleneck for this species, loss of fast water spawning habits, cannot be mitigated in large rivers with dams such as those in the St. Lawrence River, which is now essentially a series of reservoirs.

This effort will consist of three separate thrusts geared at restoring Atlantic salmon, coregonids, and lake sturgeon in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Atlantic salmon

• Facilitate restoration of Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River through the development of new and innovative restoration techniques and the evaluation of multiple salmon strains to determine their suitability for restoration.

Lake sturgeon

• Facilitate lake sturgeon restoration in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River through the development of new and innovative restoration techniques and the evaluation of potential sites to propagate the species.

Coregonids

• Facilitate coregonid restoration in the lower Great Lakes through the development of new and innovative restoration techniques while following proper disease protocols when transferring eggs to isolation facilities and the evaluation of the suitability of historic spawning sites.

Restoration of extirpated and/or severally reduced native Great Lakes fish species will require, at least for the short-term (i.e. 10-20 years) hatchery supplementation. Furthermore, the hatchery supplementation program needs to be state-of-the-art and must incorporate all existing knowledge regarding re-building wild fish populations using hatchery supplementation. Consequently the scientific abilities of USGS personnel will be required to restoration effort and subsequent field assessments.

Atlantic salmon

The main focus of Atlantic salmon restoration will be to evaluate the survival of multiple strains of salmon stocked into Lake Ontario. To date, the strains of salmon (Penobscot, West Grand Lake, La Have, and Little Clear) stocked into the lake have performed poorly. It is thought that new strains of Atlantic salmon should be stocked into the lake. This approach will include the acquisition of Atlantic salmon eggs (i.e. purchase or field collections), propagation of salmon to various life stages (i.e. fry, fingerlings, smolts), marking, and post stocking evaluation. The acquisition of eggs from the field (i.e. Finger Lakes) would require upgrading an existing facility (Tunison) to isolation status to reduce the potential of disease transfer (e.g. VHS).

Because access to an isolation rearing facility is essential in order to proceed with the highest priority restoration activities, almost all FY 2010 funds will be dedicated to upgrading the newly constructed salmonid rearing facilities at the Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science to meet isolation status criteria.

Year 1 (FY 2010):

• Construction of isolation system at the Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science.
• Atlantic salmon rearing (disease free eggs from Vermont).

Years 2-5:

• Purchase and field collections for Atlantic salmon eggs.
• Propagation of Atlantic salmon to various life stages (i.e. fry, fingerlings, smolts).
• Mark fish prior to release.
• Post stocking evaluation (i.e. survival, growth, habitat use) for each of the salmon strains released.

Lake sturgeon

In the lower Great Lakes, the most successful approach to lake sturgeon restoration to date has been the stocking of genetically similar hatchery reared fish. In addition, some positive results have been achieved with the construction of artificial spawning sites. The main factor limiting the use of hatchery lake sturgeon to expedite restoration in the lower lakes is a hatchery specifically devoted to rearing lake sturgeon. Consequently, a high priority is a detailed evaluation for the siting and cost estimate (construction, operation, and maintenance) of a hatchery for lake sturgeon. In addition, an important issue in sturgeon culture is the use of dry (low survival) versus live (high cost) diets. Further research is required to find a suitable dry diet for sturgeon that will reduce rearing costs. Field studies are also needed to facilitate lake sturgeon restoration in terms of monitoring the post release survival, growth, and movement of sturgeon as well as identifying opportunities (sites) where the creation of artificial spawning beds (a likely life history bottleneck) may aid in species recovery. Field efforts will be coordinated with lake sturgeon recovery efforts carried out under proposal 28 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Year 1 (FY 2010):

• No activity.

Years 2-4:

• Post stocking evaluation (i.e. survival, growth, habitat use) of lake sturgeon stocked in various water bodies).
• Lake sturgeon hatchery diet studies (live versus dry food)

Years 2-3:

• Lake sturgeon hatchery site evaluation.

Coregonids

Restoration of deepwater coregonids in Lake Ontario has been hampered by an inability to acquire eggs from the upper lakes and lack of an isolation rearing facility where eggs can be brought and reared. When transferring eggs or fish between Great Lakes disease issues are paramount and can only be circumvented with eggs being transferred to an isolation facility. Consequently, this effort will focus on acquiring eggs from upper Great Lakes deepwater coregonid stocks, upgrading an existing facility to isolation status, rearing and marking of coregonids, and post stocking evaluation. Research on lake herring in the lower Great Lakes will focus on historic spawning grounds (current suitability and enhancement potential) and may include artificial propagation and post stocking survival evaluation using native stocks.

Year 1 (FY 2010):

• No activity.

Years 2-5:

• Acquisition of coregonid eggs for rearing.
• Rearing of coregonid to fry (Lake Ontario).
• Mark fish prior to release.
• Coregonid spawning habitat evaluation (Lake Erie).

Years 3-5:

• Post stocking evaluation (survival, growth, best stocking sites) (Lake Ontario).

Measure of Progress - Accelerate recovery of Atlantic salmon, coregonids and lake sturgeon.

Outcomes

• Improve the resiliency and stability of Great Lakes fish communities. (Restoration of native coregonids will enhance the natural recruitment potential of salmonid piscivores including Atlantic salmon and lake trout.)
• Enhance ecosystem function (Restoration of the largest native keystone benthic forager in the Great Lakes, the lake sturgeon, will help control benthic invasive species including round goby and dreissenids and perhaps act as a deterrent against colonization by other benthic invasive species in the future.)

Products from this effort will take several forms. One product will be facility upgrades at one or more sites to accommodate isolation rearing for eggs of Atlantic salmon and coregonids that are captured from the wild. A second product will be a detailed evaluation with site selection, construction, operation, and maintenance cost estimates for a lake sturgeon hatchery. This product will be prepared by a qualified aquacultural engineering company. A pamphlet will be prepared that describes all restoration activities and how they relate to the management goals of states and tribes. As part of the research component of these restoration efforts manuscripts will be submitted to peer reviewed journals and presentations will be made at scientific meetings. The audience for this information will be fishery resource management agencies and tribes as well as sport and commercial fishermen.

Casselman, J.M. 2003. Dynamics of resources of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata : declining abundance in the 1900s, p. 255-274, chapter 18. In K.Aida, K. Tsukamoto, K. Yamauchi (eds.) Eel Biology, Springer-Verlag Tokyo.

Christie, W.J. 1972. Lake Ontario: Effects of exploitation, introductions, and eutrophication on the salmonid community. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 29:913-929.

COSEWIC 2006. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the American eel Anguilla rostrata in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa x+71pp.

Ketola, H.G., Bowser, P.R., Wooster, G.A., Wedge, L.R., and Hurst, S.S. 2000. Effects of thiamine on reproduction of Atlantic salmon and a new hypothesis for their extirpation in Lake Ontario. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 129: 607-612.

Madenjian, C.P., R. O’Gorman, D.B. Bunnell, R.L. Argyle, E.F. Roseman, D.M. Warner, J.D. Stockwell, and M.A. Stapanian. 2008. Adverse-effects of alewives in Laurentian Great Lakes fish communities. North Amer. Jour. Fish. Mangt. 28(263-282).

Mills, E.L. and 17 co-authors. 2005. A synthesis of ecological and fish-community changes in Lake Ontario, 1970-2000. Great Lakes Fishery Commission Tech. Report 67.

Morrison, B.J. and S.R. LaPan, Editors. 2005. The state of Lake Ontario in 2003. Great Lakes Fishery Commission Spec. Pub. 07-01.

R.W. Owens, R. O’Gorman, T.H. Eckert, and B.F. Lantry. 2003. The offshore fish community in Lake Ontario, 1972-1998. In State of Lake Ontario: Past, present, and future. Edited by M. Munawar. Ecovision World Monograph Series, Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society, Burlington, Ontario.

Roseman, E.F., T.P. O’Brien, S.C. Riley, S. Farha, and J.R.P. French III. 2009. Status and trends of the Lake Huron deepwater demersal fish community, 2008. 2009 Lake Huron Lake Committee Report, Great Lakes Fishery Comm.

Smith, S.H. 1968. Species succession and fishery exploitation in the Great Lakes. J. Fish. Res. Board Canada 25:667-693.

Smith, S.H. 1995. Early changes in the fish community of Lake Ontario. Great Lakes Fishery Comm. Tech. Rept. 60.

Dr. James H. Johnson
(607)753-9391 ext. 30
jhjohnson@usgs.gov