Tingley presents at Public Fisheries Seminar for Lake Michigan

Dr. Ralph Tingley (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) was an invited speaker at a virtual Public Fisheries Seminar hosted by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant on March 30, 2021. Tingley presented on results of the 2020 USGS bottom trawl survey on Lake Michigan, historical trends in prey fish populations over time, and potential hypotheses and driving mechanisms behind observed trends. Other presenters included Annie Scofield of the US Environmental Protection Agency who presented on lower trophic level status in Lake Michigan, Frank Sladek of Illinois Department of Natural Resources who discussed hatchery rearing of trout and salmon, and Matt Kornis of US Fish and Wildlife Service who highlighted research on salmonid survival, growth, and diet competition. The presentations provided an audience of approximately 40 anglers, charter captains, and fisheries managers with extensive insight into the ecological changes occurring throughout Lake Michigan’s food web. Lively discussion occurred throughout the seminar among presenters and the public and included topics such as prey fish seasonal movements, the effects of increasing ultraviolet radiation and water clarity on fishes and zooplankton, overlap among salmonid diets, and the effectiveness of different rearing practices for salmon and trout. The seminar was presented by Dr. Mitchell Zischke of Purdue University.