Walleye Status in Lake Superior Stephen T. Schram Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Lake Superior Fish Community Objectives Maintain, enhance, and rehabilitate self-sustaining populations of walleye and their habitat over their historical range.

Walleye Subcommittee Subcommittee formed Status Report –Described historic and current status –Identified current spawning rivers Rehabilitation Plan –Objectives for rehabilitation –Issues and strategies –Routine assessment –Research and assessment needs

Known Walleye Spawning Areas W W W W W W W WW W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W

Historical Harvest

Status in Michigan

Ontonagon River Huron Bay Sturgeon River Lac La Belle

Status Ontonagon River –Self-sustaining population –Sporadic stocking –Spawning closure April 1-June 10 on the West Branch Lac La Belle –Stocking every other year

Status Sturgeon River –Self-sustaining population –Alternate year stocking in Portage Lake Huron Bay –Annual maintenance stocking –Assume natural reproduction but not documented

Waishkey River Tahquamenon River

Status Tahquamenon River –Self-sustaining population –Alternate year stocking –1000 fish tagged in 2001 Waishkey River –Small population –Stocking in Brimley Bay

Status in Wisconsin

St. Louis River Amnicon River Kakagon Bad River

Status Bad River –Maintain/increase population size –Stock fry and fingerlings –Conduct fall survey Kakagon Slough –Maintain/increase population size –Stock fry and fingerlings –Population estimate every 3 years –State fingerling stocking Chequamegon Bay –Bioenergetics study Chequamegon Bay

Status St Louis River (including Amnicon River) –Annually monitor population characteristics –Conservative angling regulations –Maintain high population size to buffer potential adverse impacts from invasive aquatic species –Consumption advisory

Status in Ontario

Pigeon River Pine River Kaministiquia River Current River Black Sturgeon River Nipigon Bay Black Bay

Status Pigeon River –Small self-sustaining population Pine River –Small self-sustaining population Kaministiquia River –River resident population

Status Current River –Self-sustaining population –Spawning reef created at river mouth Black Bay –Limited adult transfer by sports club –Genetic study in progress –North end of bay has a 0 possession limit

Current River Walleye Reef

Status Black Sturgeon River –Resident river population –Genetic study in progress Nipigon Bay –Limited natural reproduction –0 possession limit –Stocking experiment inconclusive –Resident population in tributaries

Montreal River Batchawana Bay Goulais Bay

Status Goulais Bay –Population depressed –Spawn in Goulais River –Fry stocking failed –Restrictive angling regulations Batchawana Bay –Population depressed –River spawners Montreal River –Small spawning population

Impediments to Rehabilitation Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas

Impediments to Rehabilitation Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams

Impediments to Rehabilitation Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams Spawning areas difficult to sample (e.g. Bad River, remote Ontario rivers)

Impediments to Rehabilitation Lack of data from many Ontario and Michigan areas Degraded habitat caused by poor water quality, point and non-point discharge, hydro-electric dams Spawning areas difficult to sample (e.g. Bad River, remote Ontario rivers) Slow growing, age structure skewed toward old fish, highly variable recruitment

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies Total annual mortality should not exceed 45%

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies Total annual mortality should not exceed 45% Determine vital statistics of minor populations

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies Total annual mortality should not exceed 45% Determine vital statistics of minor populations Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies Total annual mortality should not exceed 45% Determine vital statistics of minor populations Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat Increase implementation of forestry and agricultural practices within watersheds

Recommended Rehabilitation Strategies Total annual mortality should not exceed 45% Determine vital statistics of minor populations Rehabilitate and /or create spawning habitat Increase implementation of forestry and agricultural practices within watersheds Stocking should be done with fingerlings

Acknowledgements Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources –Jeff Black –Mike Friday –Mike Petzold Michigan Department of Natural Resources –Vern Nurenberg –Jim Waybrant Bad River Natural Resources Department –Rick Huber