Fighting Zebra Mussels

[delcecchi]

I think lake Erie was a world class walleye lake before the Zebra Mussels.

Mille Lacs seems to be doing ok with them in it.

[mnxs54]

I think lake Erie was a world class walleye lake before the Zebra Mussels.

Mille Lacs seems to be doing ok with them in it.

Actually, in 1969 Lake Erie was almost completely dead. Time magazine noted that blue pike(walleyes), northern pike and sturgeon among other species were almost nonexistent in the lake. Environmental regulation and the zebra mussel are both given credit for cleaning it up.

[tcwin]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum. I read this thread with interest. I talked to a little DNR girl at Gull about these things, but she didn't really know much. Maybe someone here knows. I'm trying to find out if Zebras have done any damage or caused any harm so far in Minnesota to our fisheries. I know they cleaned up Lake Erie and restored it as a world class Walleye and Smallmouth lake, but I'm still trying to find out what bad effect they've had on Minnesota fishing.

Thanks and enjoy the weekend.

I am not sure of the damage to fishing but I spoke with a service manager over on Lake Minnetonka and he said he is seeing bigger boats coming in for service because intakes are clogged up. The engines aren't getting the proper cooling they need and overheating.

[delcecchi]

Actually, in 1969 Lake Erie was almost completely dead. Time magazine noted that blue pike(walleyes), northern pike and sturgeon among other species were almost nonexistent in the lake. Environmental regulation and the zebra mussel are both given credit for cleaning it up.

The zeeb didn't show up until after 1988. Walleye fishing was booming at the time, (remember the Erie Dearie weight forward spinner?) Zeebs changed the fishing but it isn't obvious that they hurt it much.

Here is a blurb from Michigan DNR

Recovery of Lake Erie Walleye a Success Story-6/8/2006

June 8, 2006

Lake Erie is often the most maligned of the Great Lakes. Pollution problems have plagued the lake, which hosts several industrial centers on its shores. And the walleye fishery on the lake has gone bust and boom as well.

Walleye fishing on Lake Erie was booming in the late 1980s, but then began a bust period in the 1990s that extended into the early part of this decade. This prompted fishery managers from Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario to respond to the alarming decline in the abundance of walleye. The agencies ordered a reduced harvest in 2004 by over 30 percent in each jurisdiction.

Michigan is only responsible for 112 square miles of the 9,903 square miles of Lake Erie, but it is the western basin that Michigan is a part of that is considered the hot spot for walleye, along with the central basin.

Lake Erie and her fisheries have a long history of boom and bust. Industrialization of Lake Erie's shoreline in the early 20th century was clearly contaminating the waters. However, the declining environmental conditions didn't dissuade a growing commercial fishery for walleye into the 1950s. But by 1956, the increasing threat of over harvest and habitat destruction had reached its peak and in the early 1960s the bottom fell out of the commercial fishery. By 1970, fishery closures were common due to mercury contamination in walleye. The lake was considered dead by many who had relied on its abundance for years.

Several key events, though, were about to combine to help the lake recover. In 1975, the Lake Erie Committee (LEC), a bi-national committee of senior fisheries managers from each bordering state and Ontario, started working together to manage the lake's fisheries. Also, in the early 1970s, growing public awareness and concern in the United States for controlling water pollution would lead to the Clean Water Act of 1977. The Clean Water Act established basic structure for regulating the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the US, including the Great Lakes.

By the mid- to late-1970s, there were reports of not only cleaner water, but healthier fish. As the walleye population grew, so did the angler activity. By 1988, the sport catch was approaching the historical highs observed in the days of peak commercial fishing. Control of the fishing effort and harvest rates through the LEC wasn't working for a variety of social and political factors. Increased fishing efforts, sporadic hatching success, dwindling spawning stocks and newly discovered environmental and biological threats began to take their toll on the walleye population.

A walleye population that once was boasted at 70 million fish in the late 1980s was estimated to be only 16 million by 2000. In other words, where there used to be 7,000 fish per square mile, there were only 1,700.

As the final blow, in 2002, a complete year-class failure occurred during the hatching process. The failure ignited a debate between the bordering states and Ontario about whether or not harvest reductions were needed. Harvest reductions were agreed upon in 2003. In Michigan, the daily bag limit for walleye on Lake Erie was reduced from six to five fish, and the minimum size limit was increased from 13 inches to 15 inches. Also, the season was closed in April and May.

The 2003 year-class of walleye in Lake Erie hatched like gangbusters, mostly due to favorable weather conditions. Fishery managers called it the strongest hatch in 20 years. Survival of the new fish also was high due to the fact that there was a reduced population in the lake.

[mnxs54]

delcecchi, you are right. I stand corrected. It looks like they helped smallmouth. They did improve water clarity but whether that's a good thing or not I don't know.

I still wonder if they're having any negative impact on fishing. I heard a guy who pumps water out of a lake complain that they clog his intake but I don't lose much sleep over that.

[Comit 2]

I remember when lake Erie started on fire!

Other then water intakes and cutting your line what I see is.

1 the lakes are clearing up like they were before. Most of the native Bivalves are endanger or gone.

2 with the Eurasian millfoil and light penetration going deeper because of the Zeebs cleaning the water, I can see the weed line extending out much deeper into some lakes. With some shallow lakes having no open water areas.

Quote:

Actually, Lake Erie never actually caught fire. That's a myth, mostly perpetuated by a line in the first Crow movie. The lake was incredibly polluted, due to heavy industrial dumping. The actual fire occured on the Cuyahoga River (which feeds into Lake Erie). The Cuyahoga River actually caught fire several times. But in 1969, a fire on the river caught the attention of Time Magazine. This notoriety led to the EPA passing the Clean Water Act and several others.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/When_did_lake_Erie_catch_fire#ixzz24rqUrZQM

[chris63]

Another side effect possibility(Besides deeper weed growth)is algae growth acceleration.Blue green algae in particular is an unwanted algae that can possibly harm an ecosystem if it gets out of control.c63