Status and trends of pelagic and benthic prey fish populations in Lake Michigan, 2024

Fall bottom trawl (fall BT) and lakewide acoustic (AC) surveys are conducted annually to generate indices of pelagic and benthic prey fish densities in Lake Michigan. The fall BT survey has been conducted each fall since 1973 using 12-m trawls at depths ranging from 9 to 110 m at fixed locations distributed across seven transects; this survey estimates densities of seven prey fish species [i.e., Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), Bloater (Coregonus hoyi), Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax), Deepwater Sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii), Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus), Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus), Ninespine Stickleback (Pungitius pungitius)] as well as age-0 Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) and large (> 350 mm) Burbot (Lota lota). In recent years, wild juvenile (