Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Coregonine Restoration
Human activities have greatly impacted fish populations in the Great Lakes, including various Coregonus species such as deepwater cisco (e.g. bloater (Coregonus hoyi) and lake herring (Coregonus. artedi). The USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of State (DOS) and Great Lakes Fishery Commision (GLFC) are leading a multi-agency effort to restore Great Lakes coregonids. This extensive multi-year challenge has several key objectives including: (1) developing a Strategic Conservation Plan that defines restoration priorities for all the Great Lakes; (2) describing distinct populations segments and habitats of potential source populations; (3) establish monitoring for selected performance indicators; (4) develop science support for regional networks of coregonid rearing facilities; and (5) developing underlying science for understanding critical ecological relationships for Great Lakes coregonids and determining potential causes of failure of larval and juvenile fish to grow and mature within existing populations.
This project is an integrated basin-wide partnership for Coregonine Restoration Program (CRG) in the Great Lakes with the objective of (1) resolving Coregonine taxonomy and function using genetics and ecology; (2) describing and mapping historical and contemporary populations and habitats; (3) conducting population viability analyses; (4) assessing threats and impediments for extant and extirpated populations; (5) evaluating restoration opportunities such ashabitat, species reintroductionsand regulatory controls; and (6) developing and implementing a prioritized and integrated restoration plan in concert with State and Tribal fishery managers’ requests and with their cooperation. The overall goal is to rehabilitate sustainable populations of Coregonines to re-establish their historical roles as forage for predators and as energy transfer agents across habitats and to allow for surplus production that could support fisheries as appropriate.
The GLRI funds provide science support to these efforts, guided by a basin-wide adaptive management framework that secured bi-national and tribal support in 2018. The science support provided by these studies informs a common framework that seeks to maximize the probability that limited native prey fish restoration dollars are wisely invested. Efforts under this Program support the Action Plan III goal of protecting and restoring communities of native fish species important to the fishery priorities of the Great Lakes States and Tribes. The CRG consists of a portfolio of proposal-funded research to support the Program objectives. Projects are solicited annually from the Great Lakes research community. A competitive, peer-reviewed process, led by the CRG Steering Committee, ensures a high-quality native fish restoration program. This Program has funded 23 research projects supporting native forage fish restoration in the Great Lakes. Results from these projects are used to better understand the life history of native Coregonines, threats to their successful restoration, and best practices for stocking of native fishes in the Great Lakes. Results from these projects are needed by decision makers to prioritize restoration efforts and measure the progress towards meeting Program objectives.
Contributions
Contribution to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: The GLRI funds provide science support to these efforts, guided by a basin-wide adaptive management framework that secured bi-national and tribal support in 2018. The science support provided by these studies informs a common framework that seeks to maximize the probability that limited native prey fish restoration dollars are wisely invested. Efforts under this Program support the Action Plan III goal of protecting and restoring communities of native fish species important to the fishery priorities of the Great Lakes States and Tribes.
Partners
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
National Park Service (NPS)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Department of State (DOS)
Great Lakes Fishery Commision (GLFC)
Human activities have greatly impacted fish populations in the Great Lakes, including various Coregonus species such as deepwater cisco (e.g. bloater (Coregonus hoyi) and lake herring (Coregonus. artedi). The USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of State (DOS) and Great Lakes Fishery Commision (GLFC) are leading a multi-agency effort to restore Great Lakes coregonids. This extensive multi-year challenge has several key objectives including: (1) developing a Strategic Conservation Plan that defines restoration priorities for all the Great Lakes; (2) describing distinct populations segments and habitats of potential source populations; (3) establish monitoring for selected performance indicators; (4) develop science support for regional networks of coregonid rearing facilities; and (5) developing underlying science for understanding critical ecological relationships for Great Lakes coregonids and determining potential causes of failure of larval and juvenile fish to grow and mature within existing populations.
This project is an integrated basin-wide partnership for Coregonine Restoration Program (CRG) in the Great Lakes with the objective of (1) resolving Coregonine taxonomy and function using genetics and ecology; (2) describing and mapping historical and contemporary populations and habitats; (3) conducting population viability analyses; (4) assessing threats and impediments for extant and extirpated populations; (5) evaluating restoration opportunities such ashabitat, species reintroductionsand regulatory controls; and (6) developing and implementing a prioritized and integrated restoration plan in concert with State and Tribal fishery managers’ requests and with their cooperation. The overall goal is to rehabilitate sustainable populations of Coregonines to re-establish their historical roles as forage for predators and as energy transfer agents across habitats and to allow for surplus production that could support fisheries as appropriate.
The GLRI funds provide science support to these efforts, guided by a basin-wide adaptive management framework that secured bi-national and tribal support in 2018. The science support provided by these studies informs a common framework that seeks to maximize the probability that limited native prey fish restoration dollars are wisely invested. Efforts under this Program support the Action Plan III goal of protecting and restoring communities of native fish species important to the fishery priorities of the Great Lakes States and Tribes. The CRG consists of a portfolio of proposal-funded research to support the Program objectives. Projects are solicited annually from the Great Lakes research community. A competitive, peer-reviewed process, led by the CRG Steering Committee, ensures a high-quality native fish restoration program. This Program has funded 23 research projects supporting native forage fish restoration in the Great Lakes. Results from these projects are used to better understand the life history of native Coregonines, threats to their successful restoration, and best practices for stocking of native fishes in the Great Lakes. Results from these projects are needed by decision makers to prioritize restoration efforts and measure the progress towards meeting Program objectives.
Contributions
Contribution to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: The GLRI funds provide science support to these efforts, guided by a basin-wide adaptive management framework that secured bi-national and tribal support in 2018. The science support provided by these studies informs a common framework that seeks to maximize the probability that limited native prey fish restoration dollars are wisely invested. Efforts under this Program support the Action Plan III goal of protecting and restoring communities of native fish species important to the fishery priorities of the Great Lakes States and Tribes.
Partners
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
National Park Service (NPS)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Department of State (DOS)
Great Lakes Fishery Commision (GLFC)