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Research about Lake Erie

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Lake Erie.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2026

Thermal habitat use of lake trout in Lake Erie

Understanding the thermal habitat use of fish populations is vital for effective rehabilitation or management, particularly in the face of climate change, given limited thermal tolerances of some species. In Lake Erie, lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) rehabilitation efforts by means of stocking have been ongoing for four decades. However, high water temperatures and lengthening periods of stratification may be hindering reestablishment efforts by contributing to unfavorable conditions for spawning and natural recruitment. We used acoustic telemetry to quantify weekly temperature occupancy of adult lake trout in Lake Erie and evaluated whether temperature occupancy differed relative to fish total length and sex. We found that lake trout occupied water temperatures similar to temperatures occupied by other Great Lakes lake trout populations during summer stratification. During fall, lake trout in Lake Erie occupied warmer temperatures than Lake Huron populations but similar temperatures to Lake Ontario populations. Occupied temperatures decreased with increasing body size during a 7-week period of mid- to late-summer stratification, but not during early summer or fall. Male and female lake trout did not differ in weekly temperature occupancy during any season. These findings reveal similarities with successfully reproducing populations, which suggest that adult temperature occupancy is unlikely to be a major impediment to natural recruitment in Lake Erie.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2026

Bayesian hierarchical model of lake whitefish cohort strength from sparse trawl data

Recruitment indices for rare or intermittently recruiting fishes are needed to compare year classes and evaluate recruitment drivers, but sparse trawl data with many zero-catch observations complicate estimation. We used fall bottom trawl data from New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio surveys in Lake Erie's central and eastern basins to estimate annual relative cohort strength of age-0 lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ) from 1992 to 2021 and evaluate whether a Bernoulli-Bernoulli presence-absence model retained enough information for an annual relative cohort strength index compared with a Binomial-Poisson count model. We fixed detection probability at 0.31 in the primary analysis and refit both models using alternative fixed values in sensitivity analyses. Among 2879 tows, 173 were positive and 368 fish were collected, with positive catches ranging from 1 to 20 fish. Annual catch per unit area and both models recovered a similar recruitment pattern, with variable recruitment from 1992 to 2005, little to no recruitment from 2006 to 2014, and renewed recruitment in most years from 2015 to 2021. Cohort rank order was stable across fixed detection values (Spearman r s = 0.996 to 1.000), and annual median estimates maintained high agreement with the primary analysis (Pearson r = 0.966 to 1.000). However, Bernoulli-Bernoulli estimates were not one-to-one with Binomial-Poisson estimates, and relative magnitude depended on assumed detection probability. These results indicate that the Bernoulli-Bernoulli simplification is adequate for recovering cohort strength patterns, but the Binomial-Poisson model is more appropriate for distinguishing relative cohort strength among years.

New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania↗
USGS2026

Spawning habitat suitability models for Lake Erie cisco (Coregonus artedi) during the historical period of pre- and post-population declines 1877–1957

Coregonine fishes play a key role in the food webs and fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes and are a major focus of basin-wide conservation efforts. In Lake Erie, management goals prioritize rebuilding spawning populations of cisco ( Coregonus artedi ). However, the historical distribution of cisco spawning habitat and the environmental conditions that influence early life-stage success remain poorly defined. We used a novel database of historical coregonine spawning observations as well as novel habitat variables to describe historical conditions to model and determine where and what habitat was historically most suitable for spawning cisco in Lake Erie. The environmental predictors that produced the best model included reefs, distance to rivers, historical substrate, coefficient of variation of ice duration, fetch, and circulation. The highest suitability occurred in areas of high reef probability, near river mouths, in rocky and sandy substrate, and in areas of low variability in historical ice, fetch, and circulation. Suitable spawning habitat is predicted mostly around reefs in the western basin as well as along the coast and near rivers lake-wide. Our model identifies important habitat features and allows managers to envision relevant scales and locations at which to focus restoration efforts.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2026

Spatial units to support Lake Erie Cisco Coregonus artedi restoration

At the request of the Lake Erie Committee, spatial units for Lake Erie Cisco were delineated during spring 2024. Spatial units correspond to the reproductive habitat of extirpated (unoccupied spatial units) and extant (occupied spatial units) populations. Spatial units were delineated using a Council of Lake Committees-endorsed method that involves synthesizing data for evaluation by a panel with expertise on the focal organisms and ecosystems. By examining catch, survey, observational, and genetic data, an expert panel determined that no viable Cisco populations remain in Lake Erie. Experts delineated one eastern and one western unoccupied Cisco spatial unit in Lake Erie based on interpretation of historical movement and spawning locations and timing. The expert panel also identified eleven key questions that can be investigated to further inform Lake Erie Cisco restoration. The two unoccupied spatial units will form the basis of a follow-on threats assessment and population viability models that together provide fishery managers science-based planning tools for Lake Erie Cisco restoration.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2026

Diverse cyanopeptides follow distinct temporal succession patterns in freshwater harmful algal blooms

Toxic cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) threaten freshwater resources globally and are intensifying with increasing eutrophication. Bloom toxicity is strongly influenced by intraspecific variation in the biosynthetic repertoires of toxic cyanobacteria, yet few studies examine the diversity of cyanobacterial cyanopeptides beyond hepatotoxic microcystins . To understand the dynamics and drivers of cyanopeptide diversity in cyanoHABs, we analyzed temporal patterns of cyanobacteria, metabolites, and their biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in western Lake Erie using a 7-year time series (2016–2022) of metagenomic and metabolomic data. Our findings demonstrate that shifts from Microcystis to Dolichospermum occur later in the bloom season, coinciding with lower temperatures. Modules of co-varying BGCs (biosynthesis modules) from these genera were identified with hierarchical clustering, with uncharacterized BGCs among the most abundant. Biosynthesis modules rich in nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) peaked in early August, coinciding with elevated levels of inorganic nitrogen, warmer temperatures, and high Microcystis abundance. In contrast, modules rich in polyketide synthases (PKS) and ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) peaked following the Microcystis maximum in mid-August. Metabolomic analyses confirmed that metabolites followed shared seasonal patterns with their associated biosynthesis modules, forming three phases characterized by (i) microcystins, (ii) anabaenopeptins and aeruginosins, and (iii) aerucyclamides. These phases co-varied with bottom-up and top-down pressures, with later phases coinciding with increased microbially processed organic nitrogen and reduced detection of grazers. This study demonstrates consistent seasonal patterns of cyanobacterial metabolite succession and co-occurrence beyond microcystins, suggesting tradeoffs between biosynthetic resource demands and ecological controls.

Ohio↗
USGS2026

Evaluating the use of uncrewed surface vessels to enhance Lake Erie acoustic prey-fish surveys

Incorporation of autonomous uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) into large-scale acoustic surveys may enhance spatiotemporal extent and quality of fish density estimates. Lake Erie is currently surveyed by three motorized research vessels (RVs), which annually collect acoustic data and estimate prey-fish abundances. To evaluate the feasibility of incorporating a USV into the existing survey to increase spatial coverage, we compared paired acoustic measurements of target strength (TS), area backscattering coefficient (ABC), and areal fish density from four motorized RVs (three currently and one historically used) and one USV (Saildrone Explorer). Acoustic data were collected along 2-km transects during five sampling events distributed throughout Lake Erie. Despite observing event-specific differences that were likely impacted by sampling conditions, survey-level estimates of areal density between RVs and the USV were comparable (i.e., RV 6% lower than USV). RVs and the USV appear to react differently (speed and stability) to variable environmental conditions (wind and waves), which impacted data quality and must be mitigated in future applications. However, similar to previous comparisons in marine and freshwater environments, incorporating a USV into an acoustic survey could enhance annual fish density estimates by increasing effort, spatial coverage, logistical flexibility, and biological data collection opportunities from RVs.

Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania↗
USGS2026

Abundance and movement patterns of fish accessing a reconnected Lake Erie coastal wetland: Insights from high-resolution sonar data

Coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes are complex ecosystems that provide essential biological services, including providing habitat for a suite of fish species. As restoration efforts for these coastal wetlands increase, there is a need to characterize how well restored areas support the life histories of wetland, riverine, and lake fishes. Most traditional survey methods (e.g. 24hr trap netting, visual surveys) are implemented over periods of time that make it difficult to describe short-term fluxes in fish activity, especially in waters with difficult access or high turbidity. To address this gap, we used acoustic sonar technology to evaluate fish movement in a recently reconnected coastal wetland on the southern shore of western Lake Erie. Data collected over four years (2011-2014) indicated that the 10 ha wetland was continuously utilized by millions of fish, with discernible fluctuations in usage patterns observed on both daily and annual scales. These insights add to our understanding of how fish assemblages respond to restored coastal wetland habitats and can inform management decisions that may impact fish access (e.g. conduct management activities that may be disruptive to fish populations during periods of reduced utilization). Additional study of short-term fish movements using high-resolution sonar and other technologies will reveal patterns that may enhance the effectiveness of restoration and management efforts in Great Lakes coastal wetlands.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2025

Application of a data-limited stock assessment model to understand the historical population of cisco in Lake Erie

Historically, cisco (Coregonus artedi) supported one of the largest commercial fisheries in Lake Erie with over 25 million kilograms landed in a single year during the fisheries’ peak in 1912. Like many other coregonines in the Laurentian Great Lakes, the Lake Erie cisco population eventually collapsed and is now considered extirpated. Management interest in restoring coregonine abundance and diversity across the Great Lakes motivated the development of a multi-agency, science-based framework aimed at restoring or enhancing populations. As part of that framework, we applied a data-limited model (depletion-based stock reduction analysis) to a reconstructed catch series to estimate historical levels of abundance of cisco in Lake Erie. Estimated historical carrying capacity was 171 million kilograms (66.5 kg/ha) and estimated annual exploitation was as high as 70 %. Model projections suggested the population should have rebuilt following a fishery collapse in 1925; however, the fishery remained depressed and cisco disappeared from Lake Erie despite the end of targeted exploitation in 1965. Other factors, such as habitat degradation and invasive species, are believed to have played a part in impeding recovery of cisco. The results of this study could be used in setting potential restoration targets for Lake Erie cisco given current conditions. The likelihood of achieving recovery targets based on historical population size will be dependent on the suitability of current conditions for sustaining the population.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2025

Dead giveaway: Rising mortality rates suggest effectiveness of Lake Erie grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) response

Grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) are large, invasive fish that threaten Lake Erie’s economy and ecosystem. Incidental catches of grass carp have occurred since the 1980s in Lake Erie, while multi-day removal events were carried out in 2014 and 2017. To mitigate ecosystem impacts, a large-scale, multi-agency response to remove as many grass carp as possible from the Lake Erie basin (“strike teams”) began in 2018 and has increased every year. To date, total annual removals of fish has been the primary measure of progress; however, total annual removals do not indicate how efforts are affecting the grass carp population. Population vital rates, such as mortality rate, can indicate population demographic changes and may provide an alternative approach to measure how removals have impacted the grass carp population. We estimated annual mortality rates using 553 grass carp, representing 82.9 % of all grass carp removed in the Lake Erie basin, using a hierarchical catch-curve model and catch-at-age data from 2014 to 2022. Annual average mortality rates were initially low (4.3 %) and increased between 2017 and 2022 with the highest mortality (13.6 %) observed in 2021. Positive correlations between mortality and the number of fish harvested per year suggest that removals may be driving increases in the grass carp mortality rate. This increase in mortality rate shows promise for controlling the spread of grass carp within the Lake Erie ecosystem. This research supports the needs of fishery managers to better understand grass carp population dynamics and the adaptive management framework identified in the Lake Erie Grass Carp Adaptive Response Strategy.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2025

Reevaluation of an adaptive management framework for invasive Grass Carp within Lake Erie

Objective Response efforts to control invasive species frequently require making decisions in the face of substantial uncertainty. Adaptive management, which emphasizes learning during the process of managing, can be useful in cases where uncertainty impedes the decision-making process. Here, we describe how technical and institutional learning led to reformulating decision-making elements, known as double-loop learning, and how uncertainty stemming from a lack of knowledge influenced the selection of alternative strategies in an ongoing adaptive management process for invasive Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella in Lake Erie. Methods When response efforts began, little was known about the population dynamics, ecology, and biology of Grass Carp within the lake. The availability of funding for sustained response efforts was also unknown. A network population model was constructed that relied heavily on values and estimates from limited data to project adult Grass Carp abundance in Lake Erie and evaluate the ability of various response strategies to achieve the desired objectives. After this initial assessment, the collection of new information was emphasized as response efforts increased to aid future assessments. With this expanded knowledge and including additional input from stakeholders, we modified the population model, evaluated new response scenarios, refined objectives, and examined the influence of uncertainty (parameter and expert opinion) on Grass Carp response efforts. Results Under uncertainty of population model parameters and expert opinion, the value-of-information analysis revealed that uncertainties in spawning deterrent efficacy, survival, and the underlying stock–recruitment relationship were important and could change the preferred decision. The efficiency of spawning deterrents influenced the preferred decision outcome among alternative strategies, particularly when >80% of fish were allowed to pass and spawn, indicating that a deterrent may not be worth implementing if passing rates are above this threshold. Conclusions We thereby demonstrate the benefits for invasive species management programs of implementing learning and resolving uncertainties within an adaptive management framework to improve decision making.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2025

First evidence of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush spawning aggregation in Ohio waters of Lake Erie following reintroduction

Lake trout Salvelinus namaycush, an important apex predator native to Lake Erie, were extirpated by 1965 due to overexploitation, introduction of invasive species, and habitat degradation. Cooperative lake-wide lake trout stocking has been ongoing since 1982, with stocking strategies adapting as research identifies the age at stocking, locations, and strains that optimize the recovery of lake trout. Despite these efforts, limited evidence of lake trout spawning has been documented in the western half of Lake Erie. On 20 November 2023, n = 99 lake trout were captured via gillnet in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. This sample consisted largely of ripe adults (79.4 %) that were likely spawning within the vicinity of Fairport Harbor. Coded wire tags recovered from these fish revealed that most of these lake trout had been stocked in Fairport Harbor (99.0 %), were of the Seneca Lake strain (92.7 %), and were stocked as age-1 fish (93.7 %). This study demonstrates the survival of fish from Fairport Harbor stockings, suggests evidence of stocking-site fidelity, supports the stocking of the Seneca Lake strain, and suggests that stocking age-1 lake trout may have advantages over younger life stages. Most importantly, this study demonstrates that lake trout are likely spawning near Fairport Harbor. These findings can guide future studies that identify lake trout spawning habitat, recruitment bottlenecks, movement, and stocking-site fidelity in Lake Erie and can be used to inform future recovery strategies.

Ohio↗
USGS2025

Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2024

A comprehensive understanding of fish populations and their interactions is the cornerstone of modern fishery management and the basis for Lake Erie’s Fish Community Objectives (FCOs) developed in 2020 (Francis et al. 2020). The 2024 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Lake Erie Biological Station Annual Report is responsive to these FCOs and the USGS obligations via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU 2017) with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) Council of Lake Committees (CLC) to provide scientific information in support of fishery management. Goals for the USGS Great Lakes Deepwater Fish Assessment and Ecological Studies were to monitor long-term changes in the fish community and track population dynamics of key fishes of interest to management agencies. Specific to Lake Erie, expectations were sustained investigations of native percids, prey fish populations, and Lake Trout. All work was conducted as part of the Deepwater Science Program under the authority of the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act of 2019 (16 USC §941h). The USGS 2024 Deepwater Science Program fieldwork began in Lake Erie in March and concluded in December, using trawl, gill net, hydroacoustic, lower trophic sampling devices, and telemetry methods. This work resulted in 44 bottom trawls covering 41 ha of lake bottom and catching 48,936 fish totaling 995 kg in the West Basin of Lake Erie, with detailed results described below. Overnight gill net sets (n=25) for coldwater species were performed in the East Basin of Lake Erie. A total of 8 km of gillnet was deployed during these surveys, which caught 106 fish, 92 of which were native coldwater species: Lake Trout, Burbot, and Lake Whitefish. Results from coldwater species assessments will be reported in the Coldwater Task Group report to the GLFC and the CLC (CTG 2025). These reports are used to inform Lake Trout stocking decisions and direct lamprey control measures (16 USC §939a). USGS hydroacoustic sampling included twenty-six 5-km transects (130 km total) in the Central Basin as part of a collaborative lake-wide survey with details and results reported by the Forage Task Group (FTG 2025). Lower trophic sampling provided data from zooplankton samples (n=12) and water quality profiles (n=12) to populate a database maintained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). USGS also assisted CLC member agencies with deployment and maintenance of Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS) infrastructure throughout all three Lake Erie basins and tributaries, supporting multiple coordinated telemetry investigations. This report presents biomass-based summaries of fish communities in western Lake Erie derived from USGS bottom trawl surveys conducted from 2013 to 2024 during June and September. The survey design compliments the August ODNR- OMNRF effort by reinforcing stock assessments with more robust data. Analyses herein evaluated trends in total biomass, abundance of dominant predator and forage species, non-native species composition, biodiversity, and community structure. Data from this effort are accessible for download (Keretz et al. 2025)

Lake Erie↗
USGS2024

Is sexual size dimorphism in walleye, Sander vitreus, a driver of seasonal movements in Lake Erie?

Walleye ( Sander vitreus ) are a sexually dimorphic species in which females are larger than males in adulthood. Walleye can also exhibit sex- and population-based differences in migration behavior. In Lake Erie, we used acoustic telemetry to test the prediction that female walleye exhibit larger broad-scale movements than males during the summer and autumn. This prediction was based on the hypothesis that greater foraging in females would be needed to satisfy their higher energy requirements. We quantified movements of males and females from distinct spawning populations from Lake Erie's west and east basins using a lake-wide grid of acoustic receivers in 2017 and 2018. We found no differences between male and female home range sizes, core range sizes, or distances travelled in either population. Fish length-at-tagging was unrelated to the size of a fish's home range or to its distance travelled, contrary to previous predictions about body size as a driver of migration distance in the Lake Erie population. We found that west basin walleye occupied large and indiscrete portions of the lake, but the core range of females extended into the central basin, whereas males were concentrated in the west basin. Walleye originating from the east basin confined their movements primarily to the east basin and showed stronger home range overlap among members of their population than did walleye from the west basin population. Within either population, walleye had more home range overlap with members of the same sex, which likely reflects differences in the migratory tendencies of males and females.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2024

Risk of capture is modified by hypoxia and interjurisdictional migration of Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

Interjurisdictional migrations lead to seasonally changing patterns of exploitation risk, emphasizing the importance of spatially explicit approaches to fishery management. Understanding how risk changes along a migration route supports time-area based fishery management, but quantifying risk can be complicated when multiple fishing methods are geographically segregated and when bycatch species are considered. Further, habitat selection in dynamic environments can influence migration behavior, interacting with other management objectives such as water quality and habitat restoration. As a case study, we examined a novel acoustic telemetry data set for Lake Whitefish in Lake Erie, where they migrate through multiple spatial management units that are variably affected by seasonal hypoxia and host a variety of fisheries. Combining telemetry results with fishery catch and water quality monitoring, we demonstrate three exploitation risk scenarios: i) high risk due to high residency and high catch, ii) high risk due to high residency in time-areas with moderate catch, and iii) low risk due to residency in time-areas with low catch. Interestingly, occupation of low risk refugia was increased by the development of hypoxia in adjacent areas. Consequently, fishery management goals to sustainably manage other target species may be directly and indirectly linked to water quality management goals through Lake Whitefish.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2024

On the survival and habitat use of hatchery-reared cisco (Coregonus artedi) in Lake Erie

Cisco ( Coregonus artedi ) have been extirpated from Lake Erie in North America since the 1960s, but they once supported one of the largest Laurentian Great Lakes fisheries. Numerous potential impediments to rehabilitation have been identified, including summer habitat refugia and predation. We used acoustic telemetry to investigate the thermal habitat use and survival of hatchery-reared adult cisco in Lake Erie. Fish were experimentally released (n = 50 per site) offshore at Dunkirk, New York, in the eastern basin and Huron, Ohio, in the central basin. Cisco in both basins found suitable summer oxythermal habitat in the metalimnion, suggesting that coldwater habitat availability is likely not an impediment for reestablishment. However, track end dates or predation dates were distributed across only four months with the last detection at 155 days. Predation sensors combined with temperature values during digestion indicated different potential predators: lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) for the Dunkirk group and walleye ( Sander vitreus ) for the Huron group. Additionally, digestion temperatures of two tags indicated bird predation was also important, likely underestimated and suggested substantial use of the epilimnion by tagged fish. The results highlight the need for additional studies to address stocking optimization questions in support of future reintroduction experiments and related cisco conservation efforts.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2024

Isolation and identification of microcystin-degrading bacteria in Lake Erie source waters and drinking-water plant sand filters

The increasing prevalence of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and the toxins they produce is a global water-quality issue. In the Western Basin of Lake Erie, high microcystin concentrations have led to water-quality advisories, process adjustments for treating drinking water, and increased water-quality monitoring. Biodegradation is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to reduce concentrations of microcystins in drinking water; however, few studies have been done to determine biodegradation potential of bacteria indigenous to the Lake Erie watershed. As part of a cooperative program between the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this study aimed to identify naturally occurring microcystin-degrading bacteria in source waters and in the sand filters of drinking-water treatment plants in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Biodegradation of microcystin-LR was found to occur in microcosms developed with three different Lake Erie-area sources—Lake Erie water, water from storage reservoirs supplied by inland streams, and water or solid medium from sand/anthracite filters at drinking-water plants. In microplates with microcystin-LR as the sole carbon source, 10 isolates exhibited cellular respiration and were, therefore, identified as promising microcystin biodegraders; 4 of those isolates subsequently were found to have potential to form biofilms. The 10 promising isolates along with 14 additional isolates from the microcosms were identified by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing: 15 isolates were γ-proteobacteria, 6 isolates were β-proteobacteria, 1 isolate was an α-proteobacterium, 1 isolate was a flavobacterium in the phylum Bacteroidetes , and 1 isolate was in the phylum Actinobacteria . Isolates were screened for possession of the mlrA gene (found to encode for the protein responsible for cleaving the cyclic structure of microcystin), and results indicate that, for Lake Erie source waters and elsewhere, more work would be required to identify microcystin-biodegradation pathways and products and to confirm biodegradation rates in pure culture isolates.

Lake Erie↗