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
Data releases by this scientist
Multimedia related to this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Lake Ontario spring prey fish assessment
Lake Ontario fall benthic prey fish assessment
Bloater restoration
Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario, 2019
Bottom trawl assessment of Lake Ontario prey fishes, 2019
Lake trout spawning studies: Updates, new survey, and comparison to standard September gillnet survey
2019 Status of the Lake Ontario Lower Trophic Levels
Differentiation between lake whitefish and cisco eggs based on diameter
Preliminary status of Lake Ontario Alewife based on the 2019 spring trawl survey
Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin recovery: An unexpected outcome of ecosystem change
Diet predictions of Lake Ontario salmonines based on fatty acids and correlations between their fat content and thiamine concentrations
State of lake ecosystem conference sub Indicator: Prey fish
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
Data releases by this scientist
Multimedia related to this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Lake Ontario spring prey fish assessment
Lake Ontario fall benthic prey fish assessment
Bloater restoration
Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario, 2019
Bottom trawl assessment of Lake Ontario prey fishes, 2019
Lake trout spawning studies: Updates, new survey, and comparison to standard September gillnet survey
2019 Status of the Lake Ontario Lower Trophic Levels
Differentiation between lake whitefish and cisco eggs based on diameter
Preliminary status of Lake Ontario Alewife based on the 2019 spring trawl survey
Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin recovery: An unexpected outcome of ecosystem change
Diet predictions of Lake Ontario salmonines based on fatty acids and correlations between their fat content and thiamine concentrations
State of lake ecosystem conference sub Indicator: Prey fish
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