Sault Ste. Marie
Tribe
Tribal Partnership Projects
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Julie Morin, Acting Native American Specialist
e-mail: Julie_Morin@fws.gov
BHW Federal Building
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Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Phone: 612-713-5108
Fax: 612-713-5280
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Service Biologist Attends North American Lake Trout Symposium
Fishery biologist Aaron Woldt
of the Alpina Fisheries Resource Office attended the Symposium on the Ecology,
Habitat, and Management of Lake Trout in North
America from August 14th to 17th in Whitehorse, Yukon. The symposium brought
state and federal management agencies and researchers together to share jurisdictional
management approaches, problems, and recent developments regarding lake trout
stocks in North America. As co-chair of the Modeling Subcommittee (MSC) of
the Technical Fisheries Committee (TFC), biologist Woldt gave two oral presentations
and was a co-author of another. The TFC is a committee of representatives
of the seven parties to the 2000 Consent Decree that oversees Decree implementation.
The 2000 Consent Decree is a 20-year negotiated agreement that allocates
fish stocks in 1836 Treaty waters of the upper Great Lakes among parties.
The MSC annually updates lake trout and whitefish population models and calculates
yearly harvest limits. Woldt's first talk was a plenary address describing
the current status and management of lake trout stocks in Michigan waters
of the Great Lakes. Special emphasis was placed on the interjurisdictional
nature of Great Lakes lake trout management. Woldt provided Lake Huron data,
and data from lakes Superior and Michigan were provided by Jory Jonas and
Shawn Sitar of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The talk highlighted
contributions from all resource agencies conducting lake trout research in
Michigan waters of the Great Lakes. These agencies include the Service, Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority, Unites
States Geological Survey-Great Lakes Science Center, Bay Mills Indian Community,
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands
of Odawa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, and Sault Ste. Marie
Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Woldt's second talk focused on the current status
and management of lake trout in northern Lake Huron. The talk highlighted
the workings of the MSC and TFC and described how the MSC uses statistical-catch-at-age
models to monitor progress towards rehabilitation for lake trout stocks in
1836 Treaty waters. Conference attendees provided constructive feedback
that should aid our stock assessment and modeling efforts. Valued discussion
topics included the following: how to better estimate natural mortality,
the affects of hooking mortality in live release fisheries, and the importance
of incorporating all stake-holder input into resource management decisions.
Resource Outputs: The symposium was a great opportunity to present
the modeling approaches of the MSC and the status of lake trout stocks in
1836 Treaty waters to a wide audience with experience in lake trout management.
Conference attendees provided constructive input on lake trout management
and rehabilitation that should aid our rehabilitation efforts in the Great
Lakes.
Partners: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Chippewa/Ottawa
Resource Authority, United States Geological Survey-Great Lakes Science Center,
Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians,
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians,
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
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