Study 471, Progress Report 1994-95

STUDY PERFORMANCE REPORT

Project No.: T-10-T-6 State: Michigan Title: Cisco (Lake Herring) Assessment and Rehabilitation in Michigan. Study No.: 237027

Period Covered: October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016

Study Objectives: (1) To review the status of Cisco stocks in Michigan Great Lakes and inland waters; (2) To support ongoing assessments of Great Lakes Cisco stocks; and (3) To support development of state and regional Cisco restoration plans.

Summary: Data were collected during 2015-16 on Great Lakes and inland lake Cisco populations. Presence-absence data as well as biological information has been summarized for Michigan’s inland lake populations of Cisco. Great Lakes Cisco population data are summarized in Great Lakes Fishery Commission meeting reports and presentations. Data analysis for 2016 Cisco surveys is ongoing and fall surveys of Cisco are scheduled for Lake Michigan and other populations.

Findings: Jobs 1 through 5 were scheduled for 2015-16, and progress is reported below.

Job 1. Review status of cisco stocks in Michigan Great Lakes waters.–Efforts are underway to review the status of Cisco in each of the Great Lakes, under the auspices of the lake committees (Great Lakes Fishery Commission – GLFC). Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) project biologists participated in these lake committee efforts to review and evaluate the status of Cisco stocks in lakes Superior, Huron, and Michigan. Evaluations were based on historical literature reports as well as existing data sets (e.g., Great Lakes assessment data housed at the DNR Marquette, Alpena, and Charlevoix fisheries research stations; Statewide Angler Survey Program data; Great Lakes-wide commercial fishery data sets). An example of these reviews is the Lake Michigan Committee Native Planktivore Task Group Report. Presentations and summaries were completed for distribution, abundance, age structure, and other Cisco population data where information is available (e.g., Myers et al. 2015, Job 5). Lake Michigan data was shared during the Great Lakes Fishery Commission annual meeting on March 22-23, 2016, as part of three reports to the Lake Michigan Committee and Common Session.

A Cisco morphometrics / meristics workshop was organized by K. Broadway and J. Jonas – in collaboration with scientists from the DNR, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB), and GLFC. The workshop was held at the Charlevoix FRS in September 2016. The focus of the workshop was on teaching biologists how to implement a system of Cisco morphometric / meristic measures, to use in investigating physical differentiation among Cisco populations.

Job 2. Review status of cisco populations in Michigan inland waters.–In coordination with Central Michigan University, a draft report was prepared on inland Cisco stocks (Calabro et al., in review; “Status and history of Cisco Coregonus artedi in Lake Michigan and Michigan inland waters”). This report is currently undergoing internal review and will be submitted for publication as a DNR Fisheries Report in 2017.

Fisheries surveys were completed on five inland lakes to determine if historic populations of Cisco are still present, and to collect samples for morphometric and genetic comparisons among populations. Whole specimens were collected from the following systems: Lake Charlevoix, Elk

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Lake, Walloon Lake, Crystal Lake, and Glen Lake. Data analysis from these collections is ongoing, and additional inland sampling efforts are scheduled for 2016-17.

Additionally, limnological profiles and water chemistry sampling was completed on Chain Lake, Curtis Lake, Day Lake and Donnell Lake in southwest Michigan to determine if habitat conditions remain suitable for Cisco. Sample analytes included total alkalinity, total phosphorus, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrate+nitrite, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, chlorophyll a, true color, and Microcystin. Chemical analyses of these samples are ongoing, additional inland lakes will be targeted in 2016-17.

Job 3. Provide support for ongoing assessment of remnant cisco stocks in the Great Lakes.– Assessment data specific to Great Lakes Cisco were collected throughout 2016, in collaboration with the LTBB. Sampling occurred at or near the following Lake Michigan sites: Naubinway, Little Traverse Bay, Elk Rapids, Manistee, Good Harbor, and Ludington. Experimental field surveys are continuing through fall 2016; all sampling follows the designs outlined in the draft multi-season assessment protocol (Povolo et al., in review; “Lakewide assessment plan for Lake Michigan Cisco Coregonus Artedi”).

Data entry in standardized fisheries survey databases (e.g., Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station survey database) and data analyses are ongoing. Results will be presented in future reports. Compilation of Cisco sport harvest data is ongoing, in collaboration with the DNR Statewide Angler Survey Program (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Study 230499, F81). A manuscript describing Lake Michigan Cisco diets was prepared (Povolo et al., in review; “Evaluation of diets from adult Cisco in Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan”), and is in review for publication as a Fisheries Division Fisheries Report. Additional collection of Cisco diet data and analysis is ongoing.

In collaboration with Danielle Forsythe at the Institute for Fisheries Research, a graphic was created showing the distribution, life stage, season, and spawning condition of Cisco captured in 2015 (Figure 1). Data for this graphic came from DNR, LTBB, Inter-Tribal Fisheries and Assessment Program (ITFAP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) assessment and monitoring programs.

Job 4. Develop regional and Michigan-specific Cisco rehabilitation plans.–DNR staff participated in GLFC lake committee and lake technical committee meetings for development of Cisco rehabilitation plans. For example, the Lake Michigan Native Planktivore Task Group is developing a technical report on “Rationale, prospects, and recommended actions for rehabilitation of native forage fishes in Lake Michigan”. Funding from Fisheries Division’s portion of the State Wildlife Grant supports DNR research and management biologist participation in development of this document.

During 2015-16, Fisheries Division biologists participated in re-writing the Michigan State Wildlife Action Plan. This revised draft document includes two chapters addressing Cisco rehabilitation in Michigan, “Inland Cisco Lakes” and “Great Lakes Ciscoes” (http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7- 153-10370_30909---,00.html). Work in revising this document relied heavily on work conducted as part of the current study.

Fisheries Division staff are co-PIs on a Michigan SeaGrant integrated assessment project, “Cisco Restoration in Lake Michigan”. The objective of this project is to summarize existing research and survey results to help managers and the fishing community develop a preferred option for Lake Michigan Cisco restoration. Staff participated in a project kick-off meeting at the University of Michigan in May 2016 and have continued to work with co-Principal Investigators at the University of Michigan throughout 2016. Project workshops will be convened in association with the Lake Michigan Technical Committee meetings in January and July of 2017.

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Job 5. Write annual performance report.–This progress report was completed as scheduled. In addition, the following peer-reviewed article (attached) was published during 2015-16:

Myers, J.T., D.L. Yule, M.L. Jones, T.D. Ahrenstorff, T.R. Hrabik, R.M. Claramunt, M.P. Ebener, E.K. Berglund. 2015. Spatial synchrony in cisco recruitment. Fisheries Research 165: 11-21.

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Figure 1.–Distribution, life stage, season, and spawning condition of Cisco captured in 2015. Data for this graphic came from MDNR, LTBB, Inter-Tribal Fisheries and Assessment Program (ITFAP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) assessment and monitoring programs.