Download Offshore Outer LPB Trawl

Relative Abundance of Invasive Fish Species in
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Lake Erie Management Unit
Assessment Programs
Megan Belore, Larry Witzel, Andy Cook, Brian Locke
Some Introduced Fish Species
Species
Introduction Date
• ~23 reproducing introduced
fish species in Lake Erie
Chinook Salmon
1873
Common Carp
1896
Rainbow Trout
1895
• >100 native fish species
Sea Lamprey
1921
Rainbow Smelt
1935
• Introduced species impact
competition, predation,
reproduction, habitat, and
trophic pathways
Alewife
1953
White Perch
1953
Coho Salmon
1969
Pink Salmon
1979
Brown Trout
1982
Round Goby
1993
Tubenose Goby
1996
Lakewide Commercial Harvest
Native
Non-Native
80000
36% of harvest is
non-native species
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
Year
2011
2007
2003
1999
1995
1991
1987
1983
1979
1975
1971
1967
1963
1959
1955
1951
1947
1943
1939
0
1935
Harvest (1000's lbs)
70000
Lakewide Commercial Harvest
Other
Yellow Perch
Smelt
Freshwater Drum
White Bass
Carp
Blue Pike
Whitefish
White Perch
Walleye
Cisco
80000
Alewife &
White Perch
60000 Rainbow
Smelt
50000
Zebra
Mussels
Harvest (1000's lbs)
70000
Round
Goby
40000
30000
20000
10000
Year
From: Baldwin, N. A., R. W. Saalfeld, M. R. Dochoda, H. J. Buettner, and R.L. Eshenroder. Commercial Fish Production in
the Great Lakes 1867-2006. http://www.glfc.org/databases/commercial/commerc.php
2011
2007
2003
1999
1995
1991
1987
1983
1979
1975
1971
1967
1963
1959
1955
1951
1947
1943
1939
1935
0
Ontario Commercial Harvest
All other species
White Perch
All other species
White Perch
25
20
15
10
5
30
25
20
15
10
5
Year
38% of harvest is non-native species
Year
10% of value is from non-native species
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
0
2004
0
Common Carp
Rainbow Smelt
35
Total Value (millions $)
30
2003
Total Harvest (1000's lbs)
35
Common Carp
Rainbow Smelt
Assessment Surveys
• MNR LEMU operates several programs
that include AIS surveillance
 West
basin bottom trawl
 Lake wide partnership gill net
 Long Point Bay trawl
 Long Point Bay gill net
West Basin Trawl
• 10 minute bottom
trawl in west basin
• ½ inch cod end
• August, 1988 –
present
• 36 fixed sites
• Used to estimate
abundance of juvenile
and forage fish
West Basin YOY Trawl
All native species
All non-native species
Year
64% of all ages catch is non-native
(78% in 2012)
Year
76% of YOY catch is white perch
(91% in 2012)
2012
2009
2006
2003
2012
2009
2006
2003
2000
1997
1994
1991
0
1,000
0
2000
2,000
3,000
2,000
1997
4,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
1994
6,000
8,000
7,000
1991
8,000
10,000
9,000
1988
Total YOY CUE (#/hectare)
10,000
1988
Total CUE (#/hectare)
12,000
All other species YOY
White Perch YOY
Partnership Gill Net Survey
• Lakewide gill net survey done
partnership with the Ontario
Commercial Fisheries
Association
• Late August to October, 1989 –
present
• Number of sites varies by year
(58 – 144)
• Stratified random survey with
canned and bottom nets
• Mesh size ranges from 32 mm
to 152 mm
• Used to estimate abundance of
adult fish
Partnership Gill Net Survey
White Perch
All Other Non-Native
Year
All Catch
21% of catch is non-native
2010
2007
2004
2001
1998
1995
1992
0
40
20
0
Year
Invasive Species Catch
2010
50
60
2007
100
80
2004
150
100
2001
200
120
1998
250
140
1995
300
160
1992
Total Observed CUE (#/gang)
Rainbow Smelt
1989
All native
350
1989
Total Observed CUE (#/gang)
All non-native
Alewife
Long Point Bay Trawl
• Three surveys
 Inner
 Nearshore outer
 Offshore outer
• September to October
• To assess juvenile and forage
fish
■ Inner LPB trawl
о Nearshore Outer LPB Trawl
 Offshore Outer LPB Trawl
Long Point Bay Trawl
YOY other species
Round Goby
3,000
Inner LPB Trawl
• Round Goby
 First appeared in 1999
 69% of catch (2003-12)
 91 % of catch (2012)
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
Year
2012
2008
2004
2000
1996
1992
1988
1984
0
1980
CUE (#/hectare)
2,500
Long Point Bay Trawl
YOY other species
Round Goby
Alewife
1,800
1,600
Nearshore Outer LPB Trawl
• Round Goby

First appeared in 1999
 48% of catch (2003-12)
 46 % of catch (2012)
1,400
1,200
1,000
• Alewife
800
600

15% of catch (2003-12)
 4 % of catch (2012)
400
200
• Total AIS
Year
2011
2008
2005
2002
1999
1996
1993
1990
1987
0
1984
CUE (#/hectare)
2,000

63% of catch (2003-12)
vs. 9% (1984-93)
Long Point Bay Trawl
Offshore Outer LPB Trawl
• Round Goby
YOY other species
Rainbow Smelt
12,000

First appeared in 1999
 19% of catch (2003-12)
 4 % of catch (2012)
Round Goby
Alewife
8,000
• Alewife


6,000
4,000
3% of catch (2003-12)
23 % of catch (2012)
• Rainbow Smelt


2,000
Year
2011
2008
2005
2002
1999
1996
1993
1990
1987
0
1984
CUE (#/hectare)
10,000
49% of catch (2003-12)
55 % of catch (2012)
• Total AIS

71% of catch (2003-12)
Long Point Bay Gill Net
• June – August, 1986 – present
• Transitioned from multi to
monofilament nets 1991-1994
• Only data from 1995 – present
shown
• 40 sites
• Mesh sizes 32 mm to 152 mm
• Used to estimate abundance
of adult fish
Long Point Bay Gill Net
Other
Round Goby
15,000
10,000
5,000
Year
All Catch
14% of catch is non-native
(44% in 2012)
2011
2009
2007
2005
2003
2001
1999
1997
0
2010
20,000
20,000
2007
25,000
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2004
30,000
White Perch
Alewife
2001
Total Number Caught
35,000
1995
Total Number Caught
40,000
1998
Native
1995
Non-native
Year
Invasive Species Catch
Asian Carp Surveillance
2012 Asian Carp eDNA
Detection Program
• Purpose: to determine if Bighead, Silver, and Grass carp are present in
the Canadian waters of Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and their tributaries
• September to November 2012
• 124 sites, 96 sites sampled twice
• 3 water samples per site
• 71 sites electrofished
• No Asian carp eDNA found
2013 Asian Carp eDNA
Detection Program
• Purpose: to determine if Bighead, Silver, and Grass carp are present in
the Canadian waters of Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and their tributaries
• May to July 2013
• 79 sites, 69 sites sampled twice
• 3 water samples per site
• No Asian carp eDNA found
Additional Species Observed
• Occasional reports of non-native species in Lake Erie & tributaries include:








Grass Carp – 1985, 2013
Bighead Carp – 1995, 2000
Piranha – 1995
Pacu – 1992, 1995, 2004
Wiper – 2006
American Shad – 1991
Chinese Mitten Crab – 1973, 2004, 2009
European Flounder – 1974, 1976, 1987, 1988,
1989, 1991, 1996, 2000
QUESTIONS?