What is the goal of the Lake Superior Fisheries Management Plan?
A. “To protect the Lake Superior ecosystem, restore its watershed, and manage for a diverse, stable, self-sustaining fish community that allows for recreational, commercial and tribal fishing opportunities.” In the goal statement a “diverse” fish community is one that includes different strains of native and introduced species that have established themselves through natural reproduction and are presently found in Minnesota waters. “Stable” means that although the abundance of various populations may fluctuate, they do so within a limited range. A “self-sustaining” community is one in which the fish species can sustain themselves largely through natural reproduction, but may at times require assistance through management actions, such as stocking.
