Hatchery production and research to support restoration of sustainable Coregonine populations in Lake Ontario (FY23)
Contributing Authors
Meredith Bartron (USFWS, meredith_bartron@fws.gov), Steve Davis (USFWS), Larry Miller (USFWS), Bill Archambault (USFWS), Brian Layton (USFWS), Doris Mason (USFWS), John Coll (USFWS)
Executive Summary
This project focuses on the production of Coregonines at the USFWS-ANFH and NEFC hatcheries, working in partnership with USGSTLAS, NYSDEC, OMNRF, and USFS-LOBS to further progress towards fish community goals outlined by the GLFC Lake Ontario Committee (LOC) through contributing to Coregonine reintroduction and restoration. Production requests originate from the LOC and NYSDEC. Fish health monitoring is a required component of the production program to transfer fish, maintain optimal fish health in culture facilities, and facilitate the restoration of both the natural forage base and the predatory Lake Trout populations in the Great Lakes. Funding from FY 2023 was used to support production of Bloater (Coregonus hoyi) and cisco (Coregonus artedi) in FY2024 and into FY2025 based on when the funding was received by USFWS and representing different life stages entering into the production and stocking cycle. Hatchery support for coregonine production is part of a multi-year restoration effort for Lake Ontario.
Outcomes
A total of 25,157 marked spring Bloater yearling and 907,000 fry were stocked into Lake Ontario by USFWS-ANFH and USFWS-NEFC in FY24
Both USFWS-ANFH and USFWS-NEFC are rearing Bloater from eggs received in FY24 for stocking in FY25
A total of 315,494 Cisco eyed eggs were received in FY24 for stocking into Lake Erie in FY25
Fish health monitoring was conducted to comply with fish transfer protocols and to assess fish health. No pathogens were identified that prevented stocking of fish from USFWS-ANFH and USFWS-NEFC into Lake Ontario per the Great Lakes Fish Heath protocols.
All hatchery fish stocked were marked with OTC to indicate hatchery origin