Comments on: Alewives: Should Great Lakes managers kill ‘em or keep ‘em? http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:53:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Captain Tony R. DeGasperis http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-2938 Captain Tony R. DeGasperis Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:15:40 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-2938 Like I said before "big fish eat little fish" 4" Walleye and Perch feed on 1" Alewife! I read a study from our OMNR. back in the late 80's they found in Lake Simcoe Perch were feeding on Walleye fry in prime walleye spawning areas. Not that I am a big fan of Alewife but they are in the mix and not much can be done about it. Like I said before “big fish eat little fish”

4″ Walleye and Perch feed on 1″ Alewife!

I read a study from our OMNR. back in the late 80’s they found in Lake Simcoe Perch were feeding on Walleye fry in prime walleye spawning areas.

Not that I am a big fan of Alewife but they are in the mix and not much can be done about it.

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]]> By: Tom Matych http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-2174 Tom Matych Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:21:16 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-2174 Alewives are an invasive species period, they also eat eat Perch and Walleye fry, Zooplankton young fish need. Dan Thomas says there's bias for native fish, there's supposed to be! If you really want to restore the biological health of the lakes both the Alewives and Salmon gotta go! Alewives are an invasive species period, they also eat eat Perch and Walleye fry, Zooplankton young fish need. Dan Thomas says there’s bias for native fish, there’s supposed to be! If you really want to restore the biological health of the lakes both the Alewives and Salmon gotta go!
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]]> By: Captain Tony R. DeGasperis http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1559 Captain Tony R. DeGasperis Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:20:31 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1559 Thanks Jeff, you reminded me of the fact. In Ontario years ago it was stressed by our OMNR. not to transport smelt or use them as bait in other body's of water, along with any other specie's these days. Thanks Jeff, you reminded me of the fact. In Ontario years ago it was stressed by our OMNR. not to transport smelt or use them as bait in other body’s of water, along with any other specie’s these days.
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]]> By: jeffgillies http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1555 jeffgillies Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:49:53 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1555 Rainbow smelt were intentionally planted in Crystal Lake in Michigan and made their way to the Great Lakes from there, either by a connecting stream or accidental transport by fishermen. Rainbow smelt were intentionally planted in Crystal Lake in Michigan and made their way to the Great Lakes from there, either by a connecting stream or accidental transport by fishermen.
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]]> By: Captain Tony R. DeGasperis http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1543 Captain Tony R. DeGasperis Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:50:38 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1543 This is the first time I ever heard that Smelt were stocked into the Great lakes, can anyone else say they know this or is there a way of finding out the details behind it. I always read that Smelt were introduced by way of ship ballest water. From what I see the Lake Trout eat smelt as much as they can. With warmer average water temp's, pollution, Zebra mussels, Gobey, these all effect the reproduction of Lake Trout and Ciscoe. Even if some Lake Trout made it to adult spawning age the commercial fishermen would keep the stocks low and don't forget the cormorants. Remember "big fish eat little fish" This is the first time I ever heard that Smelt were stocked into the Great lakes, can anyone else say they know this or is there a way of finding out the details behind it. I always read that Smelt were introduced by way of ship ballest water.

From what I see the Lake Trout eat smelt as much as they can. With warmer average water temp’s, pollution, Zebra mussels, Gobey, these all effect the reproduction of Lake Trout and Ciscoe. Even if some Lake Trout made it to adult spawning age the commercial fishermen would keep the stocks low and don’t forget the cormorants.

Remember “big fish eat little fish”

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]]> By: Jim Drozdowski http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1522 Jim Drozdowski Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:50:39 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1522 Smelt, stocked by Michigan in the late 1890's, as forage for the lake trout commercial fishery, are the cause of the demise of the Great Lakes cold water fisherys. By the mid 1950's they destroyed the blue pike, lake trout, ciscoe, whitefish and other coldwater fish stocks. They did this by consuming all the fry and fingerlings in the colder lake waters. There was no survival of these species at that time.In the mid 1960's the Canadians started trawling for their commercial fishery of the smelt and then the sport fishery started up. Smelt, stocked by Michigan in the late 1890’s, as forage for the lake trout commercial fishery, are the cause of the demise of the Great Lakes cold water fisherys. By the mid 1950’s they destroyed the blue pike, lake trout, ciscoe, whitefish and other coldwater fish stocks. They did this by consuming all the fry and fingerlings in the colder lake waters. There was no survival of these species at that time.In the mid 1960’s the Canadians started trawling for their commercial fishery of the smelt and then the sport fishery started up.
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]]> By: mark lemare http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1504 mark lemare Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:56:39 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1504 Lake trout fishing is phenomenal on lake champlain. It's the other species that have really declined. The alewives have even begun to decline the perch population and the smelt are no longer around. I think it's time to introduce some cohos, kings or stripers because our lake is only good for bass now. Lake trout fishing is phenomenal on lake champlain. It’s the other species that have really declined. The alewives have even begun to decline the perch population and the smelt are no longer around. I think it’s time to introduce some cohos, kings or stripers because our lake is only good for bass now.
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]]> By: Lake Champlain International, Inc. http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1475 Lake Champlain International, Inc. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:30:24 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1475 Fair enough, Jeff, and I apologize if my response implied as much. It was not my intention. I empathize with your situation. There are no easy answers, and they are all interconnected. I think until we first address the major habitat degradations and encroachments, we will forever be chasing our "tails." New species naturally move into new habitats, expanding their ranges. The fact that humans have assisted in this migration as opposed to a duck, for example, leaves us with the social consequences with which to contend, such as your local economy now dependent on an exotic fishery. Do we rid all the East of the rainbow trout and all the U.S. of the brown trout? I think we know how the majority might respond to that question. Your situation seems to be much the same. Sincerely, James Ehlers Executive Director Lake Champlain International, Inc. Clean Water. Healthy Fish. Happy People. http://www.facebook.com/LakeChamplain http://www.twitter.com/Lake_Champlain Fair enough, Jeff, and I apologize if my response implied as much. It was not my intention. I empathize with your situation. There are no easy answers, and they are all interconnected.

I think until we first address the major habitat degradations and encroachments, we will forever be chasing our “tails.” New species naturally move into new habitats, expanding their ranges. The fact that humans have assisted in this migration as opposed to a duck, for example, leaves us with the social consequences with which to contend, such as your local economy now dependent on an exotic fishery. Do we rid all the East of the rainbow trout and all the U.S. of the brown trout? I think we know how the majority might respond to that question. Your situation seems to be much the same.

Sincerely,
James Ehlers
Executive Director
Lake Champlain International, Inc.
Clean Water. Healthy Fish. Happy People.
http://www.facebook.com/LakeChamplain
http://www.twitter.com/Lake_Champlain

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]]> By: jeffgillies http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1474 jeffgillies Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:17:48 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1474 James, The folks I've talked to haven't blamed alewives so much for the lake trout collapse. That was the sea lamprey and overfishing, though there's a debate over which one hurt most. Instead, they say alewives are an obstacle to bringing lake trout back. James,

The folks I’ve talked to haven’t blamed alewives so much for the lake trout collapse. That was the sea lamprey and overfishing, though there’s a debate over which one hurt most.

Instead, they say alewives are an obstacle to bringing lake trout back.

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]]> By: Lake Champlain International, Inc. http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/09/02/alewives-should-great-lakes-managers-kill-%e2%80%98em-or-keep-%e2%80%98em/comment-page-1/#comment-1465 Lake Champlain International, Inc. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:10:13 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9968#comment-1465 The lake trout fishery collapsed here on Lake Champlain, as well, decades before the arrival of the alewife. Personally, and I have no empirical data to support this assertion, I believe land use patterns in the 19th Century destroyed portions of lake trout spawning habitat and enhanced sea lamprey nursery habitat. This combination may have proven too much for the lake trout. Regardless, something did here on Champlain and it was not a diet of alewives. Alewives may prove to be the answer to the spiny water flea, one of that devastating creature's few predators, from what I can gather from European literature. Something to consider. Sincerely, James Ehlers Executive Director Lake Champlain International, Inc. Clean Water. Healthy Fish. Happy People. http://www.facebook.com/LakeChamplain http://www.twitter.com/Lake_Champlain The lake trout fishery collapsed here on Lake Champlain, as well, decades before the arrival of the alewife.

Personally, and I have no empirical data to support this assertion, I believe land use patterns in the 19th Century destroyed portions of lake trout spawning habitat and enhanced sea lamprey nursery habitat. This combination may have proven too much for the lake trout. Regardless, something did here on Champlain and it was not a diet of alewives.

Alewives may prove to be the answer to the spiny water flea, one of that devastating creature’s few predators, from what I can gather from European literature. Something to consider.

Sincerely,
James Ehlers
Executive Director
Lake Champlain International, Inc.
Clean Water. Healthy Fish. Happy People.
http://www.facebook.com/LakeChamplain
http://www.twitter.com/Lake_Champlain

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