Socioeconomic Aspects of Lake Trout Rehabilitation in the Great Lakes

Abstract

During the 1940s and 1950s, the major fisheries for lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in the Great Lakes declined precipitously because of predation by sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus and overfishing. The need to control the sea lamprey and rehabilitate lake trout resulted in the establishment of institutional arrangements among the responsible state, provincial, and federal fishery agencies. The early arrangements were various committees that coordinated fishery investigations and sea lamprey control during the 1940s and 1950s. These committees were eventually replaced by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which was established in 1955 and remains the single coordinating body for fishery activities on the Great Lakes. Because most management agencies believe that lake trout return greater economic benefits in the sport rather than the commercial fishery, the catch in most areas is allocated exclusively to anglers. However, lake trout sport fisheries have recently come under more restrictive regulations, which have been opposed by some client groups such as the charter boat fishery. In the future, more public input is needed in decision processes that consider desirable mixes of salmonines and their prey for the Great Lakes. Because lake trout carry greater body burdens of contaminants than do other salmonines in the Great Lakes, a controversy exists as to how vigorously lake trout rehabilitation should be pursued when other species could be stocked in their place.

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