Fisheries Management Section Special Publication No. 163 Fisheries Management Plan for the Minnesota Waters of Lake Superior September 2006 Division of Fish and Wildlife Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Special Publication 163, 2006 FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE MINNESOTA WATERS OF LAKE SUPERIOR Prepared by Donald R. Schreiner Joseph J. Ostazeski Theodore N. Halpern Steven A. Geving Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Lake Superior Fisheries Area 5351 North Shore Drive Duluth, MN 55804 in cooperation with the MNDNR North Shore Management Group and the Lake Superior Advisory Group 2006 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Management Section North Shore Management Group Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Management Section Alan Anderson, Duluth Area Fisheries, French River Darryl Bathel, Cold Water Hatchery Coordinator, French River Mark Ebbers, Cold Water Program Coordinator, St. Paul Steve Geving, Lake Superior Area Fisheries, French River Tim Goeman, Northeast Regional Fisheries Manager, Grand Rapids Theodore Halpern, Lake Superior Area Fisheries, French River Deserae Hendrickson, Duluth Area Fisheries, French River John Lindgren, Duluth Area Fisheries, French River Mary Negus, Research Biologist, French River Joe Ostazeski, Lake Superior Area Fisheries, French River Steve Persons, Grand Marais Area Fisheries, Grand Marais Donald Schreiner, Lake Superior Area Fisheries, French River Fred Tureson, French River Hatchery, French River Lake Superior Advisory Group Organization Representative 1854 Authority Andrew Edwards Arrowhead Fly Fishers Doug Mroz Cook County Tourism George Wilkes Duluth Charter Fishing Guides Peter Dahl Fish Producers and Processors Stewart Siverson Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa Brian Borkholder Grand Portage Band of Chippewa Seth Moore Independent Angler John Eaton Izaak Walton League Bill Miner Kamloops Advocates Ross Pearson Lake County Recreation Association Lino Rauzi Lake Superior Steelhead Association Kevin Bovee North Shore Commercial Fishers Steve Dahl North Shore Charter Captains Association Barry Le Blanc North Shore Processors Harley Toftey Save Lake Superior Association LeRoger Lind Saint Louis River Citizens Action Committee J. Howard McCormick Trout Unlimited John Lenczewski Two Harbors Catch and Donate Forest Johnson United Northern Sportsmen Chuck Cieluch Western Lake Superior Trollers Dave Koneczny i TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................. iii Preface ....................................................................................................................................................x Chapter 1: Introduction......................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: Fish Community Interactions...........................................................................................7 Chapter 3: Habitat............................................................................................................................17 Chapter 4: Prey ................................................................................................................................23 Chapter 5: Lake Trout......................................................................................................................35 Appendix 5.1: Proposed Seasons and Limits Lake Superior and Tributaries ...............47 Chapter 6: Chinook Salmon.............................................................................................................48 Appendix 6.1: Chinook Salmon Program Criteria ........................................................54 Chapter 7: Coho Salmon..................................................................................................................55 Chapter 8: Pink Salmon ...................................................................................................................58 Chapter 9: Rainbow Trout ...............................................................................................................61 Chapter 10: Brook Trout....................................................................................................................75 Chapter 11: Brown Trout...................................................................................................................81 Chapter 12: Walleye ..........................................................................................................................83 Chapter 13: Lake Sturgeon ................................................................................................................87 ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY marized, reviewed, and considered for inclu- sion in the final draft. The final draft was The Lake Superior fish community thoroughly discussed within the Fisheries has undergone dramatic changes since the Management Section and represents the De- mid-1900s due to over-fishing, introduction of partment's position on how to best manage the non-native species, pollution, and land use Lake Superior fishery. changes in the watershed. Since the 1950s, the Lake Superior fish community has become much more complex, and is now composed of GENERAL PLAN OVERVIEW both native and non-native species. The most devastating introduction to the Lake Superior Fisheries management in Minnesota is community has been the sea lamprey, which virtually eliminated the lake trout in all but a the responsibility of the Minnesota Depart- few isolated areas of Lake Superior. Since the ment of Natural Resources (MNDNR), Fisher- 1960s, rehabilitation efforts, including sea ies Management Section. The long-term goal lamprey control, harvest regulations and for fisheries management in the Minnesota stocking programs, along with stricter pollu- waters of Lake Superior is: tion standards and best management practices for land use, have led to restoration of healthy To protect the Lake Superior fish stocks throughout much of Lake Superior. ecosystem, restore its watershed, This plan is a comprehensive guide on and manage for a diverse, stable, how to best manage Minnesota's portion of the self-sustaining fish community that Lake Superior fishery. The plan is written for provides recreational, commercial use by both the Minnesota Department of and tribal fishing opportunities. Natural Resources (MNDNR) Fisheries Man- agement Section and citizens interested in the The MNDNR uses an ecosystem- management of Minnesota's Lake Superior based management approach. In its mission to fishery resource. The plan is based on a fish protect the Lake Superior ecosystem and man- community approach to fisheries management. age the fishery based on ecological principals, The strategies and actions in this plan will fo- the plan recognizes that: cus on the work of the MNDNR Fisheries Management Section over the next decade. • Fish production in Lake Superior is finite, The goals and objectives are expected to re- and although users may desire more fish main relevant for 10 years, but the plan is from its waters, the lake simply may not written to be flexible, and modifications are have the capacity to produce higher levels. expected to occur during that time period. Additional stocking of trout and salmon Citizen participation was a critical cannot take place without considering im- aspect in the planning process. An advisory pacts on the forage base. group that represented fishing clubs, environ- mental groups, Indian bands, commercial fish- ing interests, county organizations, and • Lake Superior is the least productive but individual anglers was formed at the begin- most pristine of the Great Lakes, and has ning of the planning process. This group was demonstrated the capacity to support self- involved with initial discussion on all issues, sustaining fish populations through natural solicited input from their organizations, and reproduction. The plan emphasizes the reviewed and commented on the draft plan. In continued need for habitat protection, and addition, three "Open House" meetings were the desire for managing self-sustaining held to get feedback on the draft plan from fish populations that are best suited to the citizens not associated with a representative on lake’s environment. the advisory group. All comments were sum- iii • User groups on Lake Superior have di- BODY OF THE PLAN verse interests, and the Lake Superior Management Plan (LSMP) attempts to HABITAT balance resource protection, recreational opportunities, cultural beliefs and eco- Background: Lake Superior is the nomic development for the benefit of both most pristine of all of the Great Lakes, and present and future generations. Citizen habitat protection is a high priority. Unim- participation was the cornerstone of the paired habitat is critical for a productive, self- planning process, and will be an ongoing sustaining fish community. Throughout the process once implementation begins. Lake Superior basin, point source pollution has been greatly reduced in the last 20 years, • Lake Superior fishery management is an but nonpoint and atmospheric pollution con- expensive program when compared to tinues to cause problems with bioaccumulation other fisheries in the state, consuming ap- of mercury, PCBs and other toxins in fish and proximately 4.5% of the total fisheries wildlife. The St. Louis River is classified as budget. Although Lake Superior is a an area of