Catch and Biomass per unit effort of fishes in two Northern Wisconsin lakes from 2017-2021

Inland lake ecosystems are transforming due to unprecedented effects of climate changes and disturbance along riparian habitat, diminishing their potential to support fisheries. Walleye Sander vitreus, the most sought-after game fish in north-central North America supporting robust recreational and tribal fisheries, have declined. Climate change, harvest, invasive species, and concurrent increases in warm-water species (e.g., Centrarchidae) are implicated in declines. The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework provides a structure to reconcile managing ecosystem transformations. To examine the utility of intensive resist actions, we conducted an experimental removal of centrarchids in a north temperate lake. We removed ~300,000 centrarchids from a lake over four years while monitoring the fish community response. Centrarchid abundance declined, yet we found no evidence of walleye recruitment but yellow perch Perca flavescens greatly increased. We present these findings to discuss the feasibility of resistance as a management strategy in supporting walleye fisheries facing environmental change as well as a segue for management discussions to move beyond traditional resist strategies when navigating ecosystem change.