Comparing conventional tagging methods and acoustic telemetry to inform management of Lake Whitefish in Lake Michigan

Objective

Studies of fish movement using conventional tags or acoustic telemetry have different benefits and biases that can influence how conclusions are used in a management context. Our objective was to determine whether these two methods provided similar inferences regarding movements and spawning site fidelity of Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Lake Michigan. Additionally, we assessed movement patterns and used telemetry to assess residency time of Lake Whitefish to provide managers with information on which stocks might be exposed to harvest in different regions.

Methods

Lake Whitefish were tagged during spawning in (1) North and Moonlight bays, (2) Big Bay de Noc, (3) the Menominee River, and (4) the Fox River. Proportions of fish moving between southern Green Bay, northern Green Bay, and Lake Michigan were compared between tag types. Spawning site fidelity was estimated for each tagging site. Seasonal residency indices were calculated using acoustic telemetry detections.

Result

Estimates differed between the two methods, but overall trends were similar. Fox River fish rarely left southern Green Bay, and fish tagged in North and Moonlight bays rarely entered Green Bay (<10% of individuals). Big Bay de Noc and Menominee River fish moved into other regions more often (>50% of individuals). The residency indices indicated that Big Bay de Noc fish spent most of their time in Lake Michigan while Menominee River fish spent little time in northern Green Bay despite transitioning to the region. Compared to telemetry, conventional tag recoveries underestimated the proportion of individuals moving among regions. Spawning site fidelity estimates (28–100%) varied among tagging groups and between methods.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that data from conventional tags can inform management at broad geographic scales. However, acoustic telemetry can provide fine-scale information. Information gained from telemetry can be useful in understanding exposure to fishing mortality, which may be valuable for informing management decisions.