Technical Fisheries Committee Administrative Report 2007: Status
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Technical Fisheries Committee Administrative Report 2008: Status of Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish Populations in the 1836 Treaty-Ceded Waters of Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan, with recommended yield and effort levels for 2008 A Report Submitted by the Modeling Subcommittee to the Technical Fisheries Committee D.C. Caroffino (Michigan Department of Natural Resources), S.J. Lenart (Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians), Editors 1 Recommended Citation formats: Entire report: Modeling Subcommittee, Technical Fisheries Committee. 2009. Technical Fisheries Committee Administrative Report 2008: Status of Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish Populations in the 1836 Treaty-Ceded Waters of Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan, with recommended yield and effort levels for 2008. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2008-status-report_288026_7.pdf Section: Caroffino, D.C., and S.J. Lenart. 2009. Executive Summary in Caroffino, D.C., and S.J. Lenart (eds.). Technical Fisheries Committee Administrative Report 2008: Status of Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish Populations in the 1836 Treaty-Ceded Waters of Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan, with recommended yield and effort levels for 2008. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2008-status-report_288026_7.pdf 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary............................................................................................................ 4 Stock Assessment Models................................................................................................... 9 Recommendations and Future Directions to Improve Assessments................................. 19 Status of Lake Trout Populations...................................................................................... 24 Lake Superior................................................................................................................ 24 MI-5 (Marquette - Big Bay)..................................................................................... 24 MI-6 (Au Train - Munising) .................................................................................... 28 MI-7 (Grand Marais)................................................................................................ 29 Lake Huron ................................................................................................................... 33 MH-1 (Northern Lake Huron) ................................................................................. 33 MH-2 (North-central Lake Huron) .......................................................................... 40 Lake Michigan .............................................................................................................. 46 MM-123 (Northern Treaty Waters) ......................................................................... 46 MM-4 (Grand Traverse Bay)................................................................................... 50 MM-5 (Leelanau Peninsula to Arcadia) .................................................................. 55 MM-67 (Southern Treaty Waters) ........................................................................... 59 Status of Lake Whitefish Populations............................................................................... 63 Lake Superior................................................................................................................ 63 WFS-04 (Marquette - Big Bay) ............................................................................... 63 WFS-05 (Munising)................................................................................................. 67 WFS-06 (Grand Marais) .......................................................................................... 70 WFS-07 (Tahquamenon Bay).................................................................................. 71 WFS-08 (Brimley) ................................................................................................... 75 Lake Huron ................................................................................................................... 79 WFH-01 (St. Ignace)................................................................................................ 79 WFH-02 (Detour)..................................................................................................... 83 WFH-03 (Drummond Island) .................................................................................. 87 WFH-04 (Hammond Bay) ....................................................................................... 88 WFH-05 (Alpena) .................................................................................................... 91 Lake Michigan .............................................................................................................. 95 WFM-01 (Bays de Noc)........................................................................................... 95 WFM-02 (Manistique)............................................................................................. 98 WFM-03 (Naubinway)........................................................................................... 102 WFM-04 (Beaver Island)....................................................................................... 106 WFM-05 (Grand Traverse Bay)............................................................................. 112 WFM-06 (Leland - Frankfort) ............................................................................... 117 WFM-07 (Ludington) ............................................................................................ 121 WFM-08 (Muskegon) ............................................................................................ 126 Appendix 1. Lake whitefish management units............................................................. 129 Appendix 2. Lake trout management units.................................................................... 130 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Prepared by David C. Caroffino and Stephen J. Lenart In August 2000, Bay Mills Indian charged with developing the annual Community, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of yield and effort limits required by the Chippewa Indians, Grand Traverse Band Consent Decree. of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little For 2008, the MSC assessed Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, population status and mortality rates of Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the 18 different stocks of lake whitefish and United States of America, and the State nine stocks of lake trout that are within of Michigan settled upon a negotiated 1836 Treaty-ceded waters. The MSC agreement (Consent Decree) to resolve developed and fit statistical catch-at-age issues of allocation, management, and (SCAA) models using a nonlinear regulation of fishing in 1836 Treaty- modeling and statistics program (AD ceded waters of lakes Superior, Model Builder, Otter Research Ltd.) to Michigan, and Huron (U.S. v. Michigan estimate age- and year-specific 2000). The provisions of the Consent population abundance and mortality Decree were to be implemented by the rates. Insufficient data prevented five tribes of the Chippewa/Ottawa development of reliable SCAA models Resource Authority (CORA), the United in three lake whitefish units, so an States Department of Interior’s U.S. Fish alternative, descriptive approach was and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the used. The estimates of abundance and State of Michigan’s Department of mortality were combined with growth Natural Resources (MDNR). The and maturity data for whitefish and lake Consent Decree outlines a specific lake trout in each stock or management unit trout management regime that regulates to project recommended yield levels for the fishery though yield and effort limits the 2008 fishing season. Recommended established through maximum lake trout yield limits were obtained by either mortality rates. In management units limiting mortality to a maximum rate or where the state and tribes share the achieving a minimum spawning commercial whitefish harvest, maximum potential reduction. The maximum whitefish mortality rates are regulated allowable mortality rate (A) on whitefish with yield limits for each party. The was 65%, while the maximum mortality Consent Decree provides specific rate on lake trout was either 40, 45, or guidelines on how these yield and effort 47%. The target spawning potential limits are to be calculated. In reduction for whitefish was 20%. management units where the whitefish Harvest limits were allocated to State harvest is not shared, whitefish Harvest and CORA fisheries for each stock Regulation Guidelines (HRG) are following the percentages for 2008 established by CORA according to specified in the Consent Decree. provisions of the Tribal Management The 2008 MSC recommended Plan for the 1836 Treaty Great Lakes harvest limits for whitefish and lake Waters. A Modeling Subcommittee trout are provided in the table below as (MSC) of the Technical Fisheries are the actual harvest and effort limits Committee (TFC) was established and that were imposed based on terms of the 4 Consent Decree or Tribal Management reports for units where recommended Plan. Details are given in the text of the and actual harvest limits differ. Management MSC recommended Actual yield Gill net limit Species Lake unit yield limit (lb) limit (lb) (ft) Lake trout Superior MI-5 126,400 149,345 NA MI-6 104,000 104,000 4.34 million MI-7 100,700 131,155 5.01 million Huron MH-1 no estimate 230,000 6.31 million MH-2 46,000 85,794 NA Michigan MM-1,2,3 *7,900 503,000 9.36 million MM-4 *80,350 (No TFC 0.49