Fellow Project: Linking Great Lakes Fishery Management with Regional Climate Modeling Active
Learn about the research of Sean Lewandoski, a 2022 Science to Action Fellow.
Fellow Information
- Sean Lewandoski, Michigan State University
- Fellowship: 2022 Science to Action Fellow
- Mentor: Abigail Lynch, National CASC
Project Summary
Lake whitefish fisheries are vital to livelihoods, food, and culture of the Great Lakes Region. Fishers, resource managers, and policy makers are vested in identifying and enacting policies and actions that cultivate sustainable fisheries. However, climate change is complicating these efforts as the present and future fisheries may not resemble those of the past. Few decision-support tools are currently available that link regional climate forecasts with fisheries management outcomes, a key consideration for evaluating long-term sustainability of management alternatives. This project will help stakeholders evaluate ‘what if’ scenarios that consider alternative fishery management policies and actions with respect to possible climate-driven changes to fish population dynamics. A product of this project will be a mathematical model that couples lake whitefish reproduction, survival, and movement rates to forecasts of Great Lakes water temperature, ice cover, and dominant current patterns, as predicted by a regional climate model. A web-based application will allow stakeholders to use this model to investigate if fisheries management policies, which are intended to maintain long-term sustainability of Great Lakes fisheries, perform as expected given a range of possible climate-driven changes to fish populations. Overall, this project will build capacity for fisheries managers and stakeholders to include climate science in their evaluation of alternative fisheries policies and actions.
Learn about the research of Sean Lewandoski, a 2022 Science to Action Fellow.
Fellow Information
- Sean Lewandoski, Michigan State University
- Fellowship: 2022 Science to Action Fellow
- Mentor: Abigail Lynch, National CASC
Project Summary
Lake whitefish fisheries are vital to livelihoods, food, and culture of the Great Lakes Region. Fishers, resource managers, and policy makers are vested in identifying and enacting policies and actions that cultivate sustainable fisheries. However, climate change is complicating these efforts as the present and future fisheries may not resemble those of the past. Few decision-support tools are currently available that link regional climate forecasts with fisheries management outcomes, a key consideration for evaluating long-term sustainability of management alternatives. This project will help stakeholders evaluate ‘what if’ scenarios that consider alternative fishery management policies and actions with respect to possible climate-driven changes to fish population dynamics. A product of this project will be a mathematical model that couples lake whitefish reproduction, survival, and movement rates to forecasts of Great Lakes water temperature, ice cover, and dominant current patterns, as predicted by a regional climate model. A web-based application will allow stakeholders to use this model to investigate if fisheries management policies, which are intended to maintain long-term sustainability of Great Lakes fisheries, perform as expected given a range of possible climate-driven changes to fish populations. Overall, this project will build capacity for fisheries managers and stakeholders to include climate science in their evaluation of alternative fisheries policies and actions.