Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Updated 2023-09-08 19:18:14

Lake Michigan -> 1.0 Salmonine (Salmon and Trout) -> Lake Trout Wild Spring Catch Rate

1.2.2 Mean number of wild lake trout captured in spring graded-mesh gill net surveys at or above 18.75 fish per 1,000 feet of net

The relative abundance of wild lake trout, estimated from spring gillnet surveys, remained well below the target of 18.75 fish per 1,000 feet of net in Lake Michigan during 1998-2021 (Figure 1). There were measurable increases in relative abundance during 2005-2021 in both northern and southern Lake Michigan. The magnitude of the increase was greater in the south (Figure 1). It’s important to note that the relative abundance of naturally produced lake trout remains well below the benchmark in both northern and southern Lake Michigan.

Figure 1. Relative abundance of wild lake trout at northern and southern spring lakewide assessment plan sites in Lake Michigan, with a benchmark value of having greater or equal to 18.75 fish per 1,000 feet of net.