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2003 GLSFC Annual Meeting highlights

Ottawa County Visitors Bureau, Port Clinton, Ohio � Oct. 18, 2003

Opening Remarks from Dan Thomas, President, GLSFC

Thomas welcomed everyone to Port Clinton.  He mentioned it was the 31^st annual meeting, and remarked the GLSFC had previously held their annual meeting in Port Clinton 10 years ago.  At that time the issues/discussion were different. Ten years ago there were millions more walleye in Lake Erie.  Invasive species were only an emerging threat, with most species known only to scientists and research biologists. Ten years ago, we seemed to be losing the battle and the funding to fight sea

lamprey.   Ruffe, gobies and Asian carp were known only by the scientific community.

Today, the Lake Erie walleye population has reached an all-time low; under the able leadership of Dr Chris Goddard, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission no longer has to mount an annual battle to secure funding for lamprey treatment and their population is largely under control. Today, the names of most invasive species are now a household name and we are now losing the battle to control ballast contamination.

Follows are a summary of the comments made by the meeting's speakers.

Dennis Schornack, Chairman U.S. Section, IJC

IJC helping lead the charge against Invasive Species

Dennis Schornack thanked Dan and the GLSFC for their actions leading to his recent confirmation as Chair of the IJC U.S. Section.  He stated he was very concerned about invasive species. Schornack said we should all be angry at the slow pace of progress at controlling invasive species. 

"It is a 'joint" issue because both Canada and US must address the issue." Schornack said.  "It can�t be done by either country alone.   Today there are over 160 identified invasive species in the Great Lakes and over 1200 nationwide.  In San Francisco alone, a new critter is discovered on average, every 8 months.   Schornack said we are awaiting a "potential ecological disaster."   "We all need to work even harder to try to insure that this issue is addressed", Schornack urged.   'Contact Senators and Congressman and urge passage of the National Invasive Species Act (NAISA)

According to Schornack there are three main "doorways":

► Ballast water-This the number one threat.  However, of all of the ships in international commerce, the focus is on less than 400 ships; perhaps 275.   The main cargoes are steel coming in and grain going out.  Three main customers control 75% of these ships �Cargil, US Steel, and Archer-Daniels-Midland. We can be part of the solution by writing Senators and Congressmen to urge action; first in the Great Lakes.  We can solve it.  Its really

all about a few simple words, "killing critters in ballast water."

Congress was poised to pass the invasive species legislation last fall, but the initiative is stalled. And now the shipping industry wants a global approach to addressing these critters.  They want the UN's International Maritime Organization to deal with the issue instead of Congress.  That will take another 15-20 to get any meaningful mandates.

► The "side door" is the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal. The canal is 30 ft deep and 60 ft wide.  The target here is the Asian Carp that came in from catfish farmers in Arkansas.  These fish get to 50 �60 lbs, with some reaching over 100 lbs, but only eat plankton.  If they get into the Great Lakes they could turn it into a "carp pond" by destroying the bottom of the food chain.   An electrical barrier has been installed but it is still experimental.   A "rapid response" plan may entail using rotenone.   A second barrier is needed and funding for it for it has been appropriated, but it's construction need to be expedited by the US Corps of Engineers.

► The "back door" is the way these invasive critters can cause problems. This is primarily due to the aquarium trade and the sale of live exotic species that could become invasive.  For example, live Asian Carp are being sold in Toronto!  We all need to take measures to be good conservationists and not add to the problem. 

Chris Goddard, Ph. D. Secretary Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Sea Lamprey Control & Health Status of Great Lakes

Lake Superior has seen a tremendous reduction in spawning lamprey.  Lake Huron has seen a slight increase; but is below peaks and they expect a decrease.  Lake Huron is still the major problem.  Lake Michigan has been a surprise because of an unanticipated increase.  They are not sure why.  One target is the Manistique river.   Lake Erie has also seen decreases.   Increased funding has made increased treatment possible.  There is a strong correlation between treatment and population counts.

More lampreys spawn in the St Mary�s River than all of the rest of the Great Lakes combined.   There are three main methods employed there to control lamprey � trapping, granular Bayluscide and sterile males.   To control lamprey in the St Mary�s we need to get 70% of the spawning adults.   Trapping takes females out and provides males to sterilize.  Sterile male lampreys compete for and take productive females out of the population.    GPS tracking has identified target areas to spread granular Bayluscide.  It was estimated that there were 5.2 million lampreys in the St Mary�s in the 1993-96 period.  That population has been reduced to 1.9 million in 2002 and to .7 million in 2003.

The increase in Lake Michigan is attributed to the Manistique River.  The major problem is that the dam on the river is getting old and is allowing lampreys to get past the traps and barriers.  A recent $500,000 chemical treatment should lead to decreases in lamprey in Lake Michigan in 2004 and a huge decrease in 2005.  In addition a new barrier constructed with help from the Army Corps of Engineers will create a long term, cost effective solution.

A new discovery is the use of pheromones.  A new chemical mimics the pheromones.  This is a "wonderful opportunity" to increase the capture rate of females in traps. 

When asked to list other Great Lakes issues, Dr. Goddard identified:

� BKD - in all lakes but Superior �showing a significant increase,

� Whitefish � "skinny" � loss of body mass, with a decrease of Diporeia as the possible culprit,

� Botulism � evident in all lakes � the question is; are Gobies causing the problem?

� Heterosporis � Microscopic parasite � are baitfish the problem?

Marc Gaden, Communications Director, GLFC

The threat of Asian Carp

These fish are a major threat.  They reproduce rapidly.  They alter the ecosystems.  They readily survive in a Great Lakes type climate.  We need to biologically separate the Mississippi from the Great Lakes ecosystem.  One barrier was already in place.  A second, superior barrier is being built and should be operational soon.   A "rapid response" plan is being formulated should the carp population appear in the river around the barriers.  Fisheries managers will explore all options including the use of piscicides. (Rotenone) Given the seriousness of the problem, a piscicide is an appropriate tool.

Gaden said he was astonished to learn that thousands of live Asian Carp are sold each year.   This represents a major threat and efforts are being made to get them listed as �injurious� as part of the Lacey Act to address the commerce of these live fish.  This would prevent the import and interstate transportation of these carp.

We need to address this issue before they become established.  One option being considered is a law suit against the commercial fish industry for the damages of released exotics.   Even if the law suit is lost, the thought is the threat of law suits would increase insurance for those who don�t take appropriate action.

Bob O�Gorman, Field Station Supervisor, Lake Ontario Biological Station, USGS

Angler Catches and Food Web Disruption in the Offshore Waters of Lake Ontario

Trout & salmon harvested per boat in Lake Ontario rebounded in 2003; particularly for chinook.   Fishing is "pretty good"; however, angler effort was down.   The size of chinook was down in 2003.  One angler derby averaged under 32" in 2003 versus over 40" in 1999.  This decrease is thought to be tied to alewives number and nutritional quality.   "Skinny" lake trout are also starting to show up.

Rainbow smelt have collapsed in recent years, and alewives have seen a general downward trend over the years.  This downward trend is blamed on a disruption of the food chain caused by exotics and the lowering of phosphorous.   It is higher than in the late '90's.  Nutritional quality has also gone down.  

Zebra and Quagga Mussels are the main problems.  Quagga mussels have actually replaced the Zebra in many areas.  "They are covering the lake like a carpet", O'Gorman said. "Diporeia and Mysis are important parts of

the food chain at the bottom of the lake, and Diporeia have disappeared from Lake Ontario. Quagga mussels have replaced them and are not a food source for fish.  There is concern that Mysids shrimp, another important food source for alewives are also declining in population in deep water. Hopefully, this is not a trend.  Mysis are important because they are a prime source of food for alewives late in the year and contribute to their nutritional value.

It appears that the quagga mussels have had a major impact on the Mysis population. These critters are at the bottom of the food chain and are the main source of nourishment for the alewife population, too. The numbers of alewives are OK at this time but their body mass is subnormal - they are not as fat as they should be.

The disruption in the food web is again thought to be the problem.  "It all seems to be linked to invasive species."  Food web disruption is tied to invasive species.   It�s a "snowball rolling down hill" and will eventually hit the angler.   No one agency has the resources or authority to deal with all of the problems.  It takes co-operation of many agencies.

Jeff Reutter Ph. D. Director, Ohio Sea Grant

Update on the "Dead Zone" ANS and Related Ecosystem Changes

More fish for human consumption come from Lake Erie than other four Great Lakes combined.   It is the shallowest, warmest Great Lake and the most nutrient rich. It is estimated that 85-90 % of the water in Lake Erie comes from the Detroit River and the upper lakes, which are at all-time lows.   Therefore, low water will continue to be a problem in Lake Erie.  

The Central basin of Lake Erie is where a "dead zone" has re-appeared. Anoxic Hypolimnion � the lack of oxygen below the thermocline is occurring in the Central Basin.  Low water levels, global   warming, increasing phosphorous levels and zebra

mussels are all thought to be contributors to this problem. Phytoplankton (Alga) was declining until recently when an increase was seen.   Reutter said, 'We don�t want to return to the '70's."

Zebra mussels have made a significant change in water clarity; a sign of not a lot of "food" in the water.  They were first found in 1988.   Zebra mussels spit out Blue-green algae; the source of algal blooms so they don�t help there. Gobies are another potential threat, having arrived in 1996 in the Western Basin.  We really don�t know how they will effect the lake long term.

Reutter added to earlier comments on the importance of increasing fat content of fish larvae.   It increases survival.  An increase in the fat content of fish larvae can occur from an increase in fat content of the zoo-plankton they are eating.   It is a complicated issue. 

Separately, he commented that we need to push legislation to include the wording "Coastal, Ocean and Great Lakes" to be sure we are included in important legislation.  In closing , Reutter commented that, "This a time for us to be conservative because the system is clearly in a state of change. This system is not even close to being in a steady state.'