Alex Gatch is a Research Biologist based in Cortland, NY that leads collaborative research on the restoration of Lake Trout and coregonines through an ecosystem approach.
Alex Gatch works at the Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science (TLAS) in Cortland, NY, where he focuses on native species restoration in the Great Lakes. Alex works with federal, state, provincial, and first nation partners to experimentally test impediments to restoration of native species such as Lake Trout, Cisco, and Bloater. Alex’s background and current research is related to lithophilic (rocky) spawning habitat and how environmental changes in Lake Ontario have altered the characteristics of this habitat. Historic rocky spawning sites in Lake Ontario have largely been degraded by sediment infilling and biofouling from invasive species (e.g., dreissenid mussels), and Alex’s research focuses on quantifying the effect of degraded habitat on early life survival of native species like Lake Trout. The facilities at TLAS allows Alex to pair field studies in the Great Lakes with laboratory studies where he can manipulate environmental factors to better identify variables affecting fish survival. Alex is also keenly interested in the use of acoustic telemetry to address questions related to fish survival and behavior. He currently leads a lake-wide acoustic telemetry study in Lake Ontario, which serves to identify contemporary spawning sites of Lake Trout and document the characteristics of current substrates.
Professional Experience
Research Biologist - U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science. (2023-Present)
Fish Biologist - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower Great Lakes FWCO. (2019-2023)
Graduate Research Assistant - Purdue University, School of Forestry and Natural Resources (2018-2019)Contractor - U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Ontario Biological Station (2017)
Fisheries Technician - Cornell University, Little Moose Adirondack Field Station. (2016)
Research Assistant - Hobart College, Finger Lakes Institute (2014-2016)
Education and Certifications
M.S. in Fisheries Science; Purdue University (2019)
B.S. in Biology, with Honors; Hobart College (2016)
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Fisheries Society - New York Chapter
Honors and Awards
U.S Fish and Wildlife Service – 2022 Strategic Conservation Award
Hobart College - 2016 Biology Research Award
Science and Products
Data Releases by this Scientist
Substrate hardness and walleye (Sander vitreus) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) egg presence in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, before and after substrate cleaning experiments and walleye hatching success experiments, 2018-2019
These data include a field study of the sediment hardness and fish egg density (walleye [Sander vitreus] and lake whitefish [Coregonus clupeaformis]) after sediment cleaning treatments (propulsion sled or hydro-jet sled) conducted at two reef locations in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, during 2018 and 2019. The data includes the year, species, reef, treatment type (jet, fan, control), number of eggs, an
Publications by this scientist
Field and laboratory validation of new sampling gear to quantify coregonine egg deposition and larval emergence across spawning habitat gradients
The influence of habitat and environmental conditions on Great Lakes coregonine reproduction is not well described, in part, because we lack sampling gears for early life stages that are effective across habitats. We designed new egg and larval emergence traps to quantify coregonine reproductive success across variable depths and substrates and tested them in laboratory and field settings. In the
Authors
Brian C. Weidel, Cameron Davis, Brian O'Malley, Hannah Lachance, Christopher Osborne, Alexander J. Gatch, Stacy Furgal, Gregg Mackey, Marc Chalupnicki, Nicholas Sard, Aaron C. Heisey, Michael Connerton, Brian F. Lantry
Seasonal habitat utilization provides evidence for site fidelity during both spawn and non-spawning seasons in Lake Ontario cisco Coregonus artedi
The Lake Ontario cisco Coregonus artedi population declined in the 20th century, and restoration of this species is a management objective. Management tools to restore cisco are limited because little is known about cisco spawning behavior and habitat use. We tagged 76 cisco from a remnant population in Chaumont Bay, Lake Ontario with acoustic transmitters and characterized seasonal habitat use fr
Authors
Alexander J. Gatch, Dimitry Gorsky, Brian C. Weidel, Zy F. Biesinger, Michael J. Connerton, Cameron Davis, Hannah Lachance, Brian O'Malley
Lake Ontario August gillnet survey and Lake Trout assessment, 2022
Lake Ontario Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) rehabilitation has been annually assessed with fishery independent surveys since 1983, in an effort to evaluate program benchmarks and compare observations with management objectives. These surveys provide information on the abundance, strain composition, and condition of the adult Lake Trout stock, as well as information on levels of natural recruitm
Authors
Brian O'Malley, Brian F. Lantry, Scott P. Minihkeim, James Duncan Mckenna, Jessica A. Goretzke, Alexander J. Gatch, Dimitry Gorsky
Evaluation of post-stocking dispersal and mortality of juvenile lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Ontario using acoustic telemetry
Wild reproduction by stocked lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Ontario has yet to produce a self-sustaining population, requiring a reliance on stocking. Once released, age-1 juvenile lake trout are not typically surveyed until age-2, creating a gap in knowledge of fine-scale post-release behaviors. A method to track fine-scale movements and estimate mortality of juvenile lake trout could co
Authors
Alexander J. Gatch, Stacy L. Furgal, Dimitry Gorsky, J. Ellen Marsden, Zy F. Biesinger, Brian F. Lantry
Incorporation of non-native species in the diets of cisco (Coregonus artedi) from eastern Lake Ontario
Cisco Coregonus artedi was once an important native fish in Lake Ontario; however, after multiple population crashes, the cisco stock has yet to recover to historic abundances. Rehabilitation of cisco in Lake Ontario is a fish community management objective, but the extent to which recent non-native species and pelagic food web changes have influenced cisco is not well understood. We described cis
Authors
Alexander Gatch, Brian C. Weidel, Dimitry Gorsky, Brian O'Malley, Michael Connerton, Jeremy Holden, Kristen T. Holeck, J.A. Goertzke, Curtis T. Karboski
Evidence of successful river spawning by lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in the lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario
Restoration of a wild-produced lake trout Salvelinus namaycush population in Lake Ontario has not been successful despite the adult population often meeting or exceeding restoration targets. Lack of high-quality spawning habitat in Lake Ontario is suggested as one impediment to recruitment of wild lake trout, although the quantity and location of spawning habitat is poorly understood. If high-qual
Authors
Alexander Gatch, Dimitry Gorsky, Zy Biesinger, Eric Bruestle, Kelley Lee, Curt Karboski, Meredith L. Bartron, Tyler Wagner
Assessment of two techniques for remediation of lacustrine rocky reef spawning habitat
Rocky reef habitats in lacustrine systems constitute important areas for lithophilic‐spawning fishes. Interstitial spaces created by the structure of rocky reefs form microenvironments where incubating embryos and juvenile fish are potentially protected from predators and physical displacement. However, if interstitial spaces are filled or blocked by sediment or biofouling, the reef structure may
Authors
Alex Gatch, S.K. Koenigbauer, Edward F. Roseman, T. Hook
Review of methods to repair and maintain lithophilic fish spawning habitat
Rocky reefs provide important spawning and refuge habitats for lithophilic spawning fishes. However, many reefs have been lost or severely degraded through anthropogenic effects like dredging, channelization, or sedimentation. Constructed reefs have been used to mitigate these effects in some systems, but these reefs are also subject to degradation which may warrant custodial maintenance. Monitori
Authors
Audrey Baetz, Taaja Tucker, Robin DeBruyne, Alex Gatch, T. Hook, J. Fischer, Edward F. Roseman
The effect of sediment cover and female characteristics on the hatching success of walleye
Natural and anthropogenic sources of sedimentation have the potential to degrade spawning habitat and negatively affect incubating fish embryos. Walleye Sander vitreus are lithophilic broadcast spawners that use specific spawning habitats that are vulnerable to degradation caused by deposition of suspended sediments. We measured the effect of different types of sediment cover on hatching success o
Authors
Alex Gatch, S.K. Koenigbauer, Edward F. Roseman, T. Hook
Science and Products
- Data
Data Releases by this Scientist
Substrate hardness and walleye (Sander vitreus) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) egg presence in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, before and after substrate cleaning experiments and walleye hatching success experiments, 2018-2019
These data include a field study of the sediment hardness and fish egg density (walleye [Sander vitreus] and lake whitefish [Coregonus clupeaformis]) after sediment cleaning treatments (propulsion sled or hydro-jet sled) conducted at two reef locations in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, during 2018 and 2019. The data includes the year, species, reef, treatment type (jet, fan, control), number of eggs, an - Multimedia
No results found.
- Publications
Publications by this scientist
Field and laboratory validation of new sampling gear to quantify coregonine egg deposition and larval emergence across spawning habitat gradients
The influence of habitat and environmental conditions on Great Lakes coregonine reproduction is not well described, in part, because we lack sampling gears for early life stages that are effective across habitats. We designed new egg and larval emergence traps to quantify coregonine reproductive success across variable depths and substrates and tested them in laboratory and field settings. In theAuthorsBrian C. Weidel, Cameron Davis, Brian O'Malley, Hannah Lachance, Christopher Osborne, Alexander J. Gatch, Stacy Furgal, Gregg Mackey, Marc Chalupnicki, Nicholas Sard, Aaron C. Heisey, Michael Connerton, Brian F. LantrySeasonal habitat utilization provides evidence for site fidelity during both spawn and non-spawning seasons in Lake Ontario cisco Coregonus artedi
The Lake Ontario cisco Coregonus artedi population declined in the 20th century, and restoration of this species is a management objective. Management tools to restore cisco are limited because little is known about cisco spawning behavior and habitat use. We tagged 76 cisco from a remnant population in Chaumont Bay, Lake Ontario with acoustic transmitters and characterized seasonal habitat use frAuthorsAlexander J. Gatch, Dimitry Gorsky, Brian C. Weidel, Zy F. Biesinger, Michael J. Connerton, Cameron Davis, Hannah Lachance, Brian O'MalleyLake Ontario August gillnet survey and Lake Trout assessment, 2022
Lake Ontario Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) rehabilitation has been annually assessed with fishery independent surveys since 1983, in an effort to evaluate program benchmarks and compare observations with management objectives. These surveys provide information on the abundance, strain composition, and condition of the adult Lake Trout stock, as well as information on levels of natural recruitmAuthorsBrian O'Malley, Brian F. Lantry, Scott P. Minihkeim, James Duncan Mckenna, Jessica A. Goretzke, Alexander J. Gatch, Dimitry GorskyEvaluation of post-stocking dispersal and mortality of juvenile lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Ontario using acoustic telemetry
Wild reproduction by stocked lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Ontario has yet to produce a self-sustaining population, requiring a reliance on stocking. Once released, age-1 juvenile lake trout are not typically surveyed until age-2, creating a gap in knowledge of fine-scale post-release behaviors. A method to track fine-scale movements and estimate mortality of juvenile lake trout could coAuthorsAlexander J. Gatch, Stacy L. Furgal, Dimitry Gorsky, J. Ellen Marsden, Zy F. Biesinger, Brian F. LantryIncorporation of non-native species in the diets of cisco (Coregonus artedi) from eastern Lake Ontario
Cisco Coregonus artedi was once an important native fish in Lake Ontario; however, after multiple population crashes, the cisco stock has yet to recover to historic abundances. Rehabilitation of cisco in Lake Ontario is a fish community management objective, but the extent to which recent non-native species and pelagic food web changes have influenced cisco is not well understood. We described cisAuthorsAlexander Gatch, Brian C. Weidel, Dimitry Gorsky, Brian O'Malley, Michael Connerton, Jeremy Holden, Kristen T. Holeck, J.A. Goertzke, Curtis T. KarboskiEvidence of successful river spawning by lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in the lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario
Restoration of a wild-produced lake trout Salvelinus namaycush population in Lake Ontario has not been successful despite the adult population often meeting or exceeding restoration targets. Lack of high-quality spawning habitat in Lake Ontario is suggested as one impediment to recruitment of wild lake trout, although the quantity and location of spawning habitat is poorly understood. If high-qualAuthorsAlexander Gatch, Dimitry Gorsky, Zy Biesinger, Eric Bruestle, Kelley Lee, Curt Karboski, Meredith L. Bartron, Tyler WagnerAssessment of two techniques for remediation of lacustrine rocky reef spawning habitat
Rocky reef habitats in lacustrine systems constitute important areas for lithophilic‐spawning fishes. Interstitial spaces created by the structure of rocky reefs form microenvironments where incubating embryos and juvenile fish are potentially protected from predators and physical displacement. However, if interstitial spaces are filled or blocked by sediment or biofouling, the reef structure mayAuthorsAlex Gatch, S.K. Koenigbauer, Edward F. Roseman, T. HookReview of methods to repair and maintain lithophilic fish spawning habitat
Rocky reefs provide important spawning and refuge habitats for lithophilic spawning fishes. However, many reefs have been lost or severely degraded through anthropogenic effects like dredging, channelization, or sedimentation. Constructed reefs have been used to mitigate these effects in some systems, but these reefs are also subject to degradation which may warrant custodial maintenance. MonitoriAuthorsAudrey Baetz, Taaja Tucker, Robin DeBruyne, Alex Gatch, T. Hook, J. Fischer, Edward F. RosemanThe effect of sediment cover and female characteristics on the hatching success of walleye
Natural and anthropogenic sources of sedimentation have the potential to degrade spawning habitat and negatively affect incubating fish embryos. Walleye Sander vitreus are lithophilic broadcast spawners that use specific spawning habitats that are vulnerable to degradation caused by deposition of suspended sediments. We measured the effect of different types of sediment cover on hatching success oAuthorsAlex Gatch, S.K. Koenigbauer, Edward F. Roseman, T. Hook - News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government