Hatchery production, fish health surveillance, and research to support restoration of sustainable coregonine populations in Lake Ontario
Contributing Authors
Mike Millard (USFWS, mike_millard@fws.gov), Meredith Bartron (USFWS), Larry Miller (USFWS), John Coll (USFWS)
Executive Summary
Project objectives include:
(1) Production of coregonines at the USFWS-ANFH and NEFC hatcheries, working in partnership with USGS-TLAS, NYDEC, MNRF, and USFS LOBS represents progress towards fish community goals outlined by the GLFC Lake Ontario Committee through contributing to coregonine reintroduction and restoration.
(2) Fish health monitoring is a required component of the production program in order 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.
(3) Assessment and evaluation of hatchery production and stocking practices of coregonines stocked in Lake Ontario is essential to understand how hatchery production can be used most efficiently, and address the framework’s call for monitoring restoration responses and enhancing effectiveness.
Outcomes
165,000 spring yearling Bloater from 2 FWS facilities stocked into Lake Ontario in May 2021
Fish health screening of wild or free-ranging coregonine are being incorporated in the US Fish and Wildlife’s National Wild Fish Health Survey database
Annual fish health inspections are being reported on FWS form 3-226, to accompany any fish movements
Fish health testing results allowed for the release of these fish in compliance with state and Great Lakes regulations and guidelines