Why has the MNDNR proposed to discontinue stocking lake trout in Lake Superior along the central portion of the North Shore?
A. Survival of stocked lake trout has declined, while the abundance of wild lake trout has increased for all areas of the shore. The survival index of stocked lake trout and the abundance of wild lake trout have surpassed criteria established to discontinue stocking in the northern and central portions of Minnesota waters. The decrease in survival of stocked fish, along with the decrease in the smelt forage base that has occurred since the early 1990s, suggest that density-dependent factors govern growth and survival of lake trout and other predators and that their populations may be near carrying capacity. There is evidence that shows stocking fish where wild populations exist may displace the wild fish by competing for limited resources. Reduced lake trout stocking should give wild lake trout a better chance for success and may allow rehabilitation to proceed at a faster rate. Stocking still contributes to the fishery in the western end of the lake near Duluth, but wild fish continue
Related Questions
- Why has the MNDNR proposed to discontinue stocking lake trout in Lake Superior along the central portion of the North Shore?
- Does supplemental stocking alter natural patterns of genetic diversity in lake trout populations?
- Can increased kokanee stocking be used to offset increasing lake trout predation?
