Great Lakes Fishery Commission

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The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is a bi-national commission made up of representatives of the United States and Canada. It was formed by the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries, concluded in 1954 and ratified in 1955. It has eight members: four members are appointed by the President of the United States, serving six-year terms, and four are appointed by the Privy Council of Canada. [1] The commission is charged, under Article Four of the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries, with conducting research and making recommendations on the management of Great Lakes fisheries, as well attempting the eradication of the sea lamprey from the Great Lakes.

Contents

Background

The Sea Lamprey background had entered the Ontario Lake in the mid-1800s and in the Upper Great Lakes entered in 1921. The Sea Lamprey causes much destruction to ecosystems and other species of life, economic damage; but Sea Lamprey had a large change in life in the lakes of both Canada and United States of America. [2] The sea lamprey is a parasitic invasive species fish that kills a large amount of the Great Lakes fish species like trout, salmon, sturgeon, and walleye. [3]

Global issues

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission relates to global issues since the convention of the fisheries is bi-national commission. Both nations are doing research and recommending the management of the great lakes and the research directing on sea lamprey, there are 4 representatives from the President of United States and the other 4 are from Privy Council of Canada. An executive secretary of the Canadian Privy Council named Robert Lambe. He spoke on the subject that the bi-national organizations team up together to solve a great problem in the Great Lakes region. Robert Lambe stated, "Sea lamprey will kill up to 40 pounds of Great Lakes fish, which is why control of the destructive invader is essential the seven billion fishery." [4] Another voice was brought up, and that was the president and CEO of the Grand Rapids White Water. [5] He commented on how the funding will help support fish and went into further depth, pronouncing "These additional funds will help to leverage other local, state, and private dollars to support the restoration of the Grand River for everyone and ensure protection against invasive species." Privy Council of Canada and Great Lakes fishery commission are planning and working together to better the population of fish but more importantly aiming to control the invasive sea lamprey species.

Canada's government has been increasing their investment to control the sea lamprey and protect its fishery species. As to their funding as well it will greater the capacity of Canada's sea lamprey control program. Terry Sheehan, a member of the parliament for Sault Ste. Marie expressed about the program, saying "The sea lamprey control program of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission is a shining example of the binational commitment between Canada and the United States to protect the whole of the Great Lakes ecosystem. For generations our countries have worked cooperatively to reduce, and control, sea lamprey numbers. [6] I am pleased to be reaffirming our dedication to the health and longevity of our beloved fisheries through this increase in annual funding to the Great Lakes Fishery." Sheehan had made it clear that working binational with the United States and Canada is great and would like to see this in the future to protect the ecosystems of the fisheries from invasive species. [7]

Controlling the sea lamprey

The Sea Lamprey has become such a big problem since the Lamprey is an invasive species; they must be controlled to keep the ecosystems in check and be given the best ability for survival. [8] Sea Lamprey will be controlled by a specific lampricide known as TFM. TFM kills sea lamprey largely; as the TFM has little to no impact to fish. The lampricide does not affect aquatic plants, invertebrates, wildlife, humans, or mammals and the TFM is non-toxic and the lampricide does not spread throughout the water. [9] The United States Fish and Wildlife, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and United States Army Corps of Engineers team up to find a solution to keep the Lamprey in check and how to further figure out on how to control the Sea Lamprey. Sea Lamprey spends a good chunk of their lives filter feeding on larvae. So, the control to Sea Lamprey starts off to when the Biologists figure out and determine which lamprey contains the larval sea lamprey. The testing and figuring out the description of the larval and sea lamprey determines distribution, size structure, presence, and abundance in territories where they are located. [10]

Great Lakes Fishery commission and the city of Grand Rapids white water will be receiving additional federal dollars to stop the invasive sea lamprey. The amount of federal dollars being received is a seven million dollar increase, more than the previous year. The money received from federal funding will be used to restore the rapids and making sure the sea lamprey is the primary priority needing to thin out; but also protecting and restoring the other species of fish by the lamprey. In this budget the commission will add a sea lamprey constructional barrier that will give the commission an easier way to manage the lamprey, but to also split the efficiency. [11]

Trapping

To trap the sea lamprey the traps are set to catch the lamprey as they move upstream to spawn; which creates fewer individuals on the spawning population. By trapping the lamprey it provides a hit or miss where lamprey spawn, and really helps prevent reproducing lamprey. [12]

Related Research Articles

The National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) was established by the U.S. Congress in 1871 through the creation of a U.S. Commissioner for Fish and Fisheries. This system of fish hatcheries is now administered by the Fisheries Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), an agency within the United States Department of the Interior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fathom Five National Marine Park</span> National marine conservation area in Ontario, Canada

Fathom Five National Marine Park is a National Marine Conservation Area in the Georgian Bay part of Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada, that seeks to protect and display shipwrecks and lighthouses, and conserve freshwater ecosystems. Parks Canada has management plans for the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with a multi-action plan for species that are at risk, including endemic species, the Monarch butterfly, the eastern ribbonsnake, and the eastern whip-poor-will. The aquatic ecosystems in the park are also of particular interest. Many fish, shellfish, amphibians, and eels are an attraction for naturalists in the park. Much of this wildlife is accessible to scuba divers and snorkellers in the park. The many shipwrecks make the park a popular scuba diving destination, and glass bottom boat tours leave Tobermory regularly, allowing tourists to see the shipwrecks without having to get wet. Additionally, there are three main popular hiking trails found within Fathom Five National Marine Park that provides visitors with views of old growth forests and the Georgian Bay. The Saugeen Ojibway Peoples have inhabited the Bruce Peninsula and the area that is now Fathom Five National Marine Park for thousands of years. This land provided for their communities and their people with the plethora of wildlife and plant life. They provide the local knowledge about Lake Huron and its ecological value to the reserve, park, and their overall livelihood. Parks Canada and Saugeen Ojibway People's collaboration is said to yield a benefit to both parties with regard to overall ecosystem knowledge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alewife (fish)</span> Species of North American shad

The alewife is an anadromous species of herring found in North America. It is one of the "typical" North American shads, attributed to the subgenus Pomolobus of the genus Alosa. As an adult it is a marine species found in the northern West Atlantic Ocean, moving into estuaries before swimming upstream to breed in freshwater habitats, but some populations live entirely in fresh water. It is best known for its invasion of the Great Lakes by using the Welland Canal to bypass Niagara Falls. Here, its population surged, peaking between the 1950s and 1980s to the detriment of many native species of fish. In an effort to control them biologically, Pacific salmon were introduced, only partially successfully. As a marine fish, the alewife is a US National Marine Fisheries Service "Species of Concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea lamprey</span> Parasitic lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) native to the Northern Hemisphere

The sea lamprey is a parasitic lamprey native to the Northern Hemisphere. It is sometimes referred to as the "vampire fish".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamprey River</span> River in New Hampshire, United States

The Lamprey River is a 50.2-mile-long (80.8 km) river in southeastern New Hampshire, the United States. It rises in Meadow Lake in Northwood, and flows south, then generally east through Raymond, Epping, Lee, Durham and finally Newmarket. Here, it meets Great Bay, a tidal inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, to which it is connected by a tidal estuary, the Piscataqua River. The river from the Bunker Pond Dam in Epping to the confluence with the Piscassic River is part of the designated National Wild and Scenic River System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deepwater cisco</span> Species of fish

The deepwater cisco was one of the largest ciscoes in the Great Lakes. Its average length was 30 cm and it was about 1.0 kilogram in weight. Occurring only in Lakes Huron and Michigan, and inhabiting waters between 50 and 150 metres deep, it was difficult to distinguish from other ciscoes and was possibly the same species as the shortjaw cisco. The deepwater cisco was distinguished by usually having fewer than 33 gill rakers, relatively long pectoral fins, and unpigmented jaws. It was a silvery colour with a pink or purple lustre and a green or blue back. It spawned in August and September, earlier than most other ciscoes. Not much is known about its specific behaviors. Its diet consisted of Mysis relicta, fingernail clams, and various aquatic insects. Because of its large size, the deepwater cisco was heavily fished commercially.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lampricide</span>

A lampricide is any chemical designed to target the larvae of lampreys in river systems before they develop into parasitic adults. One lampricide is used in the headwaters of Lake Champlain and the Great Lakes to control the sea lamprey, an invasive species to these lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Lakes Areas of Concern</span> Geographical region in the Great Lakes that show environmental degradation

Great Lakes Areas of Concern are designated geographic areas within the Great Lakes Basin that show severe environmental degradation. There are a total of 43 areas of concern within the Great Lakes, 26 being in the United States, 17 in Canada, with five shared by the two countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freshwater fish</span> Fish that mostly live in freshwater

Freshwater fish are those that spend some or all of their lives in fresh water, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 1.05%. These environments differ from marine conditions in many ways, especially the difference in levels of salinity. To survive fresh water, the fish need a range of physiological adaptations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shortjaw cisco</span> Species of fish

The shortjaw cisco is a North-American freshwater whitefish in the salmon family. Adult fish range to about 30 cm (12 in) in length and are silver, tinged with green above and paler below. One of the members of the broader Coregonus artedi complex of ciscoes, it is distributed widely in the deeper lakes of Canada, but populations in the Great Lakes have been declining and it is no longer present in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie. It feeds mainly on crustaceans and insect larvae and spawns in the autumn on the lake bed. It is part of the important cisco (chub) fishery in the Great Lakes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "vulnerable". Shortjaw cisco have however evolved from the cisco Coregonus artedi independently in different lakes and different parts of the range, and conservation assessments therefore should be made on a lake-wise rather than range-wide basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern brook lamprey</span> Species of jawless fish

The northern brook lamprey is a freshwater fish in the family Petromyzontidae. It is closely related to the silver lamprey and may represent an ecotype of a single species with I. unicuspis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manistique River</span> River in Michigan

The Manistique River is a 71.2-mile-long (114.6 km) river in the U.S. state of Michigan that winds southward through the central Upper Peninsula from its headwaters near Lake Superior to its mouth in Lake Michigan. It drains approximately 1,461 square miles (3,780 km2) of the Upper Peninsula, including most of Schoolcraft County and small portions of Alger County, Delta County, Luce County, and Mackinac County. The river rises at the outlet of Manistique Lake in the southwest corner of Luce County, and after flowing through the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, empties into Lake Michigan at Manistique, Michigan. M-77, a north–south highway, serves much of the Manistique River's drainage and crosses the river and its tributaries several times.

The Miller Lake lamprey is a species of lamprey in the Petromyzontidae family endemic to the United States. Its natural habitat is the Miller Lake drainage in the state of Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TFM (piscicide)</span> Chemical compound

TFM (3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol) is a common piscicide, i.e., a fish poison used to combat parasitic and invasive species of fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Canada</span> Overview of the wildlife of Canada

The wildlife of Canada or biodiversity of Canada consist of over 80,000 classified species, and an equal number thought yet to be recognized. Known fauna and flora have been identified from five kingdoms: protozoa ; chromist ; fungis ; plants ; and animals. Insects account for nearly 70 percent of recorded animal species in Canada. More than 300 species are found exclusively in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamprey</span> Order of vertebrates, the cyclostomes

Lampreys are an ancient extant lineage of jawless fish of the order Petromyzontiformes, placed in the superclass Cyclostomata. The adult lamprey may be characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth. The common name "lamprey" is probably derived from Latin lampetra, which may mean "stone licker", though the etymology is uncertain. Lamprey is sometimes seen for the plural form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Invasive species in the United States</span> Species

Invasive species are a significant threat to many native habitats and species of the United States and a significant cost to agriculture, forestry, and recreation. The term "invasive species" can refer to introduced/naturalized species, feral species, or introduced diseases. Some introduced species, such as the dandelion, do not cause significant economic or ecologic damage and are not widely considered as invasive. Economic damages associated with invasive species' effects and control costs are estimated at $120 billion per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquatic invasive species in Canada</span>

Canadian aquatic invasive species are all forms of life that traditionally has not been native to Canada's waterways. In Eastern Canada, non-native plant and animal species are a concern to biologists. Bringing non-native species such as invasive fishes into Canada can damage the environment and ecosystem by repressing native species due to food competition or preying. Invasive fishes enter the fresh waters of Canada in several ways including drifting, deliberate introduction, accidental release, experimental purposes and, most commonly, through the attachment on international boat hulls. Invasive species are the second biggest threat to fish and other marine life in Canada behind loss of habitat and degradation. The threat to native species is primarily caused by impacts on the food web; however, invasive species also bring dangerous pathogens and physically interfere with existing aquatic life. Invasive species include sea lampreys, zebra mussels, smallmouth bass, European green crab, vase tunicate, and sea squirts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake whitefish</span> Species of fish

The lake whitefish is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. The lake whitefish is sometimes referred to as a "humpback" fish due to the small size of the head in relation to the length of the body. It is a valuable commercial fish, and also occasionally taken by sport fishermen. Smoked, refrigerated, vacuum-packed lake whitefish fillets are available in North American grocery stores. Other vernacular names used for this fish include Otsego bass, Sault whitefish, gizzard fish, common whitefish, eastern whitefish, Great Lakes whitefish, humpback whitefish, inland whitefish and whitefish.

The state of Michigan defines an aquatic invasive species as "an aquatic species that is nonnative to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health". There are approximately 160 invasive aquatic species residing in Michigan. Some of the most commonly known species are the zebra mussel, quagga mussel, sea lamprey, and several species of Asian carp. Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) is the primary state law regulating aquatic invasive species in Michigan.

References

  1. ↑ "GLFC in Brief" . Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  2. ↑ https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/strtgcvsn_513832_7.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  3. ↑ "Great Lakes Fishery Commission - Sea Lamprey".
  4. ↑ "Grand River Restoration Project Sees a Boost in Federal Funding for Sea Lamprey Control". 2018-04-06.
  5. ↑ "Grand River Restoration Project Sees a Boost in Federal Funding for Sea Lamprey Control". 2018-04-06.
  6. ↑ "Canada increases investment in Sea Lamprey Control Program". 2018-04-04.
  7. ↑ "Canada increases investment in Sea Lamprey Control Program". 2018-04-04.
  8. ↑ "Great Lakes Fishery Commission - Control".
  9. ↑ "Fisheries and Oceans Canada". 4 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Great Lakes Fishery Commission - Control".
  11. ↑ "Grand River Restoration Project Sees a Boost in Federal Funding for Sea Lamprey Control". 2018-04-06.
  12. ↑ "Fisheries and Oceans Canada". 4 May 2018.
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