TOPIC:

Great Lakes Salmon Initiative

msue.anr.msu.edu/…/rare_fish_on_rebound_in_lake_mich…

GLSI has 3 main points to make in todays post. No.1 Cisco, No.2 Salmon Ambassador Program Data, No.3 Steelhead in AuSable River.

Linked on this post is April 19 Sea Grant Meeting in South Haven concerning Cisco. A reminder that the GLSI is against any Cisco rehabilitation/stocking efforts by the USFWS. We support the MDNR and the biologists for the State of Michigan that are NOT in favor of stocking cisco in L. Michigan. There is a 5yr experiment currently ongoing in L. Huron stocking cisco and just because this foothold is taking place does not mean it has to take place on the L. Mich side. Cisco are rebounding on their own with no massive stocking effort and the important item to understand is that you shouldn't "Buy the Snake Oil" that they are an important prey item for predator fish. In L. Superior there are Lake Trout, Chinook and Coho and the only predator utilizing this food source is the Siscowet strain of Lake Trout, the deep water strain----does anyone else recognize the agenda here?? Pay close attention to the groups that are in support of cisco rehab and ask yourself do these groups have the best interest in your fishery???

There is another link listed on the sea grant link on cisco, concerning the Salmon Ambassador Program, which is a great program involving recreational angler participation. Read the article closely and pay attention to the 2013 cuts in planting numbers and the 84% decline in natural reproduction. 2012 was a boom year for anglers in chinook harvest and then a collapse in 2013. The collapse would have occurred in 2009 in natural reproduction---we are having discussions with the MDNR about adding environmental modeling to the arsenal of data to manage our lakes salmon programs. Also remember not to fall for the fear factor that bait numbers are down and we can't have Chinook, if the Lake Trout program was balanced with the other species we wouldn't be in this situation!!!

On-line there was a post that the Steelhead plant in the Ausable River on Lake Huron was going to be reduced do to lack of angler participation and harvest effort turned in to the MDNR by anglers. Sent this post to Randy Claramunt the L. Huron Basin Coordinator and he said not true/, false. It is extremely important to the GLSI that fisheries are maintained and improved outside of MH-1 and inner Saginaw Bay to offer anglers increased access and economic impact to coastal communities. This coming week there is a salmon sub-committee having its first meeting for Lake Huron. This committee could have a positive impact on Lake Huron and Lake Michigan management of salmon--we will keep you updated on the progression and items of interest being discussed, angler input is important.