A “bloater,” also known as a deepwater cisco, caught in Lake Ontario from the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s research vessel Kaho—they are one of several native coregonine species recently highlighted in the winter 2021 edition of DOI Newswave. Read more at: https://ww
Brian C Weidel, PhD
Brian Weidel is a research fishery biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center where he leads collaborative research on prey fishes and native fish restoration ecology.
Brian works with state and provincial agencies in Lake Ontario to annually assess prey fish stocks, like Alewife, which informs the decisions that sustain that lake’s world class trout and salmon fisheries. Brian’s research also addresses prey fish conservation for species like Deepwater Sculpin, a bottom-dwelling fish that inhabits depths from 80 – 240 meters (165-792 feet) and is prey for native predators including Burbot and Lake Trout. This species was likely extirpated from Lake Ontario for decades, but the research done by Brian and colleagues has documented the remarkable natural recovery of the species. Most recently Brian joined a multi-agency international effort to study and restore Great Lakes fishes from the genus Coregonus. Populations of Cisco, Lake Whitefish, and Bloater were among the Great Lakes’ most abundant fishes prior to European colonization and supported critical fisheries; but human driven changes have caused extirpations and population declines. Brian’s research is among the to quantify how habitats and conditions influence incubation success for these species that spawn in late fall and winter and emerge from the lake bottom substrates just after ice out. Research teams are evaluating the efficacy of rehabilitating lake spawning habitat substrates for improving reproduction and evaluating these actions as potential tools for coregonine restoration and conservation.
Professional Experience
Research Fishery Biologist, United States Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Ontario Biological Station, 2010 – present
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Wisconsin, Madison 2009 - 2010
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin, Madison 2005 - 2008
Graduate Research Assistant, Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, 2000 - 2003
Research Assistant, Cornell University, Adirondack Fishery Research Program, 1998 - 2000
Research Assistant, Cornell University, Cornell Biological Field Station, 1997 - 1998
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Limnology and Marine Science, Center for Limnology, Univerisity of Wisconsin-Madison, 2009
M.S. in Natural Resources, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, 2003
B.S. in Natural Resources, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, 1997
Science and Products
Science pages by this scientist
Does Less Ice Cover Lead to More Turbulent Overwinter Conditions on Great Lakes Fish Spawning Reefs?
Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Quantifying Coregonine Habitat Use Dynamics
Invasive Mussel Control Science: Dreissenid Mussel Growth in Lake Ontario
Understanding How Climate Change Will Impact Aquatic Food Webs in the Great Lakes
Data releases by this scientist
Lake Ontario April Prey Fish Bottom Trawl Survey, 1978-2023
Early life stage data for Lake Ontario fishes, 2018-2021
Lake Ontario April Prey Fish Bottom Trawl Survey, 1978-2022
Historical Spawning Sites for Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and Cisco (Coregonus artedi) in Lake Ontario and Connecting Channels, 1860-1970
Lake Ontario April Prey Fish Bottom Trawl Survey, 1997-2021
Morphometric measurements of Cisco (Coregonus artedi) from Lake Ontario 2018
Multimedia related to this scientist
A “bloater,” also known as a deepwater cisco, caught in Lake Ontario from the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s research vessel Kaho—they are one of several native coregonine species recently highlighted in the winter 2021 edition of DOI Newswave. Read more at: https://ww
Publications by this scientist
Histological analysis of deepwater sculpin ovaries supports single spawning reproductive strategy
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2024
How diverse is the toolbox? A review of management actions to conserve or restore coregonines
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2023
Field and laboratory validation of new sampling gear to quantify coregonine egg deposition and larval emergence across spawning habitat gradients
Seasonal habitat utilization provides evidence for site fidelity during both spawn and non-spawning seasons in Lake Ontario cisco Coregonus artedi
A science and management partnership to restore coregonine diversity to the Laurentian Great Lakes
Larval cisco and lake whitefish exhibit high distributional overlap within nursery areas
Diversity in spawning habitat use among Great Lakes Cisco populations
Predicting physical and geomorphic habitat associated with historical lake whitefish and cisco spawning locations in Lakes Erie and Ontario
Subindicator: Native Prey Fish Diversity
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2022
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
News about this scientist
Science and Products
Science pages by this scientist
Does Less Ice Cover Lead to More Turbulent Overwinter Conditions on Great Lakes Fish Spawning Reefs?
Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Quantifying Coregonine Habitat Use Dynamics
Invasive Mussel Control Science: Dreissenid Mussel Growth in Lake Ontario
Understanding How Climate Change Will Impact Aquatic Food Webs in the Great Lakes
Data releases by this scientist
Lake Ontario April Prey Fish Bottom Trawl Survey, 1978-2023
Early life stage data for Lake Ontario fishes, 2018-2021
Lake Ontario April Prey Fish Bottom Trawl Survey, 1978-2022
Historical Spawning Sites for Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and Cisco (Coregonus artedi) in Lake Ontario and Connecting Channels, 1860-1970
Lake Ontario April Prey Fish Bottom Trawl Survey, 1997-2021
Morphometric measurements of Cisco (Coregonus artedi) from Lake Ontario 2018
Multimedia related to this scientist
A “bloater,” also known as a deepwater cisco, caught in Lake Ontario from the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s research vessel Kaho—they are one of several native coregonine species recently highlighted in the winter 2021 edition of DOI Newswave. Read more at: https://ww
A “bloater,” also known as a deepwater cisco, caught in Lake Ontario from the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s research vessel Kaho—they are one of several native coregonine species recently highlighted in the winter 2021 edition of DOI Newswave. Read more at: https://ww
Publications by this scientist
Histological analysis of deepwater sculpin ovaries supports single spawning reproductive strategy
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2024
How diverse is the toolbox? A review of management actions to conserve or restore coregonines
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2023
Field and laboratory validation of new sampling gear to quantify coregonine egg deposition and larval emergence across spawning habitat gradients
Seasonal habitat utilization provides evidence for site fidelity during both spawn and non-spawning seasons in Lake Ontario cisco Coregonus artedi
A science and management partnership to restore coregonine diversity to the Laurentian Great Lakes
Larval cisco and lake whitefish exhibit high distributional overlap within nursery areas
Diversity in spawning habitat use among Great Lakes Cisco populations
Predicting physical and geomorphic habitat associated with historical lake whitefish and cisco spawning locations in Lakes Erie and Ontario
Subindicator: Native Prey Fish Diversity
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2022
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
News about this scientist