Roseman Featured in Nature Conservancy Video on Lake Whitefish Research in Lake Erie

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Research conducted on Lake Whitefish in Lake Erie by Dr. Ed Roseman (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) and a University of Toledo PhD student whom he advises, Zach Amidon, was featured in a Nature Conservancy video highlighting the work, Saving the Lake Erie Whitefish. Historically, Lake Whitefish ranked among the most valuable fish species in Lake Erie. However, by the 1950s, overfishing and environmental degradation contributed to their collapse, leaving a small remnant population. Recent evidence suggests that poor survival during the larval stage is limiting population growth. To investigate possible causes for poor larval survival, Lake Whitefish larvae and zooplankton (food source) are being collected throughout the Western Basin of Lake Erie, a major spawning and nursery area, as part of a collaborate effort between USGS, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and University of Toledo.  Results of this work will aide in understanding how biological and physical factors interact to affect Lake Whitefish spawning and egg and larval development and survival necessary for resource managers to formulate management strategies and assess population recovery.