Climate Change: An Aquatic Perspective and State Management Needs Gary Whelan MI DNR Fisheries Division September 2008

Aquatic considerations concerning climate change Likely effects Management information needs Management tools Talk Outline

Fish abilities to move are limited to watersheds –Watersheds are heavily fragmented Key Aquatic Considerations MI Dams

Difficulty of sampling –Can not see or measure many components Range of organisms from pathogens to megafauna “Easy” ability to raise or transfer Freshwater fish, crayfish and mussels are all already at risk Key Aquatic Considerations

Flow and temperature changes - Habitat specialists likely to decline –Particularly temperature specialists, increase in generalist species Shifting of species northward and new species Likely Effects N

Wetland Acidic Bedrock Shifting of species to higher elevations

Improved climate change prediction models –Critical locations – How to focus limited resources Baseline information –System Processes Hydrology - Flows and lake elevations Material recruitment Water quality Connectivity Information Needs `

Baseline information –Species distribution – current and predicted Native Naturalized Invasive –Habitat needs and requirements How do we keep common fish common How do we keep the species in place as long as possible Information Needs

Fish passage –Many life stages and species unknown –How to prevent invasives but allow target species Fish and aquatic organism culture –Methods unknown for many species Potential Management Tools

Species transfers –Appropriate locations –Effects on other species New species community effects Pathogens –Social effects Gene banks –Technical issues –Social issues Potential Management Tools

Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Outdoors Questions? Comments?