South Haven to host fisheries workshop

Last year was a tough one for Lake Michigan anglers. Fishery biologists and managers will share recent findings and discuss management planning at a free public workshop on April 21 in South Haven.

Are you curious about the state of the Lake Michigan fishery?  Concerned about the future of salmon fishing?  Wondering how baitfish reproduction fared last year?

The Southern Lake Michigan Fishery Workshop will feature perspectives on the status of fish populations, contribution of stocked and wild fish, and management directions. This workshop is provided free of charge and is being hosted by Michigan Sea Grant and the South Haven Steelheaders, a chapter of the Michigan Steelhead & Salmon Fisherman’s Association. No registration is necessary.

The Southern Lake Michigan Fisheries Workshop will be held 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. April 21 at the South Haven Moose Lodge (1025 Wells St., South Haven, MI 49090. Full details are available on this program flier.

Presentations will include:

  • Status and Trends of Prey Fish in Lake Michigan, Chuck Madenjian – Research fishery biologist, USGS Great Lakes Science Center
  • Mass Marking of Great Lakes Chinook Salmon and Lake Trout, Charles Bronte – Senior fishery biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
  • Salmon Ambassadors Program and Great Lakes Angler Diary App, Dan O’Keefe – Extension educator, Michigan Sea Grant
  • Management Updates and Development of a Lake Michigan Management Plan, Jay Wesley – Lake Michigan Basin coordinator, Michigan DNR

The Southern Lake Michigan Fishery Workshop will feature some of the same information from the January 2016 Ludington workshop but also will include additional updated information.

Attendees in South Haven can expect to hear full results from 2015 prey fish surveys, including the latest information on alewife reproduction. The 2015 Lake Michigan Predator-Prey Ratio will also be presented. The Predator-Prey Ratio is a critical indicator of the balance between salmon and alewife. New information on production of wild salmon after the weak year-class of 2013 will also be discussed.

Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and its MSU Extension, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 33 university-based programs.

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