Green Bay Trout Unlimited | Take care of the fish and fishing will take care of itself

Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum Summary

September 17, 2014

Lakeshore Technical College

Cleveland, WI

Perch fishing on Lake Michigan

At the latest Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum (LMFF) meeting the WIDNR asked Lake Michigan stakeholders what were their most important concerns regarding the big lake. The comments were then broken down into nine broader categories. Within these categories the question was asked…do you agree with the management practice in place, or would you like to change course. Here are the categories, questions and decisions…

• Trout and Salmon harvest goals/ desired species composition.
  • Are overall harvest goals acceptable or should we aim for more or less trout/ salmon? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Whitefish commercial/ sport allocation.
  • Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Southern Lake Michigan yellow perch restoration.
  • Should we pursue a yellow perch stocking program? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Southern Lake Michigan yellow perch commercial/ sport allocation.
  • Do we develop a new Southern Lake Michigan yellow perch allocation b/n commercial and sport fishery? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Green Bay Fisheries Management.
  • Do we continue to stock trout and salmon in Green Bay? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Native sport fish species management in harbors and tributaries (e.g. walleye and musky).
  • Should we co-stock native sport fish species in Lake Michigan trout and salmon tributaries? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Lake Trout.
  • Do we continue lake trout restoration in Wisconsin waters? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.
• Future management of Lake Michigan commercial fishery – expand/ restrict.
  • Do we put more fisheries management effort toward the commercial fishery? Are there compromises?
• Lake Herring/ Cisco restoration.
  • Do we (multi-agency) embark on a cisco restoration project? Overwhelmingly agreed with the current plan.

If you would like more detailed information on the questions above please call GBTU president Adrian Meseberg at (920) 562-6129 or email him at [email protected].

Please feel free to click on the link to the DNR Website where you can find more information on the LMFF.