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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1964

Age, growth, sex ratio, and maturity of the whitefish in central Green Bay and adjacent waters of Lake Michigan

This study is based on 1,023 whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill)--819 in seven samples from five localitites in central Green Bay in 1948-49 and 1851-52 and 204 in a single 1948 collection from northwestern Lake Michigan proper. Records of age indicated unusual strength for only one year class--1943 which strongly dominated the 1948 sample from Lake Michigan and the 1949 sample from Green Bay and was well represented in the 1948 collection from green Bay. Collection of 1951-52 without exception were dominated by age group III. Length distributions of samples varied widely according to the age composition. Among fish more than 2 years old, the length distributions of age groups overlapped broadly. Several 1-inch intervals included fish of four age groups. The length-weight relation varied considerably among central Green Bay samples, but differences among localitites were nearly equalled by the year-to-year difference at a single locality. Lake Michigan whitefish were generally lighter than those from Green Bay. Weight increased to the 3.386 power of length in Green Bay (combined samples) and the 3.359 power in Lake Michigan. Growth in length, calculated by direct proportion from diameter measurements of growth fields on scales, differed among localities in central Green Bay and between samples of different years at a single locality. If permanent locality differences exist they are not large and can be obscured by the evident annual fluctuations of growth. The grand average calculated length of Green Bay whitefish (combined collections) exceeded that of Lake Michigan fish in all years of life. The advantage was greatest (2.2 inches) at 3 years (calculated lengths of 16.0 inches and 13.8 inches) and subsequently declined to 0.5 inch at 9 years (lengths of 24.6 and 24.1 inches). Both groups reached the minimum legal length of 17 inches during the fourth growing season. Green Bay whitefish also had the larger calculated weights. The advantage reached 9.3 ounces in 3 years (calculated weights of 22.4 and 13.1 ounces). In years of life 4-9, the weight advantage over Lake Michigan fish ranged from 8.7 ounces, (seventh year; weights of 74.4 and 65.7 ounces) to 12.2 ounces (ninth year; weights of 96.2 and 84.0 ounces). Comparison of growth of whitefish at four localities in northern Lake Michigan indicates that fastest growth is in central Green Bay and slowest near the Fox Islands. Growth is intermediate and similar in northwestern Lake Michigan proper and sorthern Green Bay. Youngest mature male whitefish in green Bay belonged to age group II and youngest mature females to age group III. All IV-group fish were mature. Shortest mature males were at 14.5-14.9 inches and shortest mature females at 16.5-16.9 inches. All males longer than 17.9 inches and all females longer than 18.4 inches were mature.

Fishery Bulletin of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser↗
USGS1956

Life history of lake herring of Green Bay, Lake Michigan

Although the lake herring has been an important contributor to the commercial fish production of Green Bay, little has been known about it. This study is based on field observations and data from about 6,500 lake herring collected over the period 1948 to 1952. Relatively nonselective commercial pound nets were a primary source of material for the study of age and growth. Commercial and experimental gill nets were used to obtain data on gear selectivity and vertical distribution. Scales were employed to investigate age and growth. Age group IV normally dominated commercial catches during the first half of the calendar year and age group III the last half. At these ages the fish averaged about 10.5 inches in length. The season's growth started in May, was most rapid in July, and terminated near the end of October. The sexes grew at the same rate. Selectivity of fishing gear was found to influence the estimation of growth. Geographical and annual differences in growth are shown. Factors that might contribute to discrepancies in calculated growth are evaluated. Possible real and apparent causes of growth compensation are given. The relation between length and weight is shown to vary with sex, season, year, and method of capture. Females were relatively more plentiful in commercial catches in February than in May through December. The percentage of females decreased with increase in age in pound-net catches but increased with age in gill-net samples. Within a year class the percentage of females decreased with increase in age. Most Green Bay lake herring mature during their second or third year of life. They are pelagic spawners with most intensive spawning over shallow areas. Spawning takes place between mid-November and mid-December, and eggs hatch in April and May. Lake herring ovaries contained from 3,500 to 11,200 eggs (averaged 6,375). Progress of spawning by age, sex, and length is given. Lake herring were distributed at all depths in Green Bay in early May, were concentrated within 30 feet of the surface in late May, moved to deeper water in June, and were restricted to depths greater than 30 feet in July when temperatures in shallower water became unfavorably high (greater than 18A?C.). In October, lake herring were again at all depths but were most abundant near the surface.

Fishery Bulletin↗
USGS1968

Seasonal depth distribution of fish in southeastern Lake Michigan

This study is based on systematic seasonal bottom trawling between 3 and 50 fathoms (5.5 and 91.5 m.) from February to November 1964 and supplementary information from other experimental fishing at additional depths and with other gear. The seasonal depth distribution of eight common species is described, and temperature relations are discussed. Catch records for less common species are mentioned briefly. Alewives are mostly pelagic during their first 2 years, but many young of the year are on the bottom in the fall, and yearlings occasionally descend to the bottom in substantial numbers in the spring and fall. Adults are mostly on the bottom in the winter and spring, but a significant portion of the population may be at mid-levels in the summer and fall. Bloaters are in midwater during their first 2 years, but usually on the bottom thereafter. Young-of-the-year American smelt are in midwater except in the fall, yearlings are in midwater or on the bottom, and adults are mostly on the bottom. Alewives, bloaters, smelt, spottail shiners, trout-perch, and yellow perch on the bottom moved into shallower water in the spring and into deeper water in the fall, in response to temperature changes. Slimy sculpins abandoned inshore areas as water warmed in the spring. Fourhorn sculpins showed a slight movement shoreward in the spring, but changed their depth distribution little thereafter to the end of the trawling season. Alewives showed the greatest seasonal change in distribution. Large concentrations at 40 to perhaps 70 fathoms (73.2-128.0 m.) in mid-March had migrated to water of less than 15 fathoms (27.4 m.) by mid-April. They were in shallow water along shore or in rivers until early summer; then they began a postspawning movement back into deeper water which continued into the fall. Depth ranges in which greatest numbers of other common species occurred, considering all seasons as a whole, were as follows: bloater, 12 to 50 fathoms (21.9-91.5 m.); American smelt, 5 to 17 fathoms (9.1-31.1 m.); spottail shiners, 3 to 15 fathoms (5.5-27.4 m.); trout-perch, 5 to 17 fathoms (9.1-31.1 m.); yellow perch, 3 to 15 fathoms (5.5-27.4 m.); slimy sculpins, 15 to 40 fathoms (27.4-73.2 m.); fourhorn sculpins, 45 to 70 fathoms (82.2-128.0 m.). Water temperature ranges (A? C.) in which the various species were most abundant in summer were: alewife, 8 to 22; bloater, 6 to 10; smelt, 6 to 14; spottail shiner, 13 to at least 22; trout-perch, 10 to 16; yellow perch, 11 to at least 22; slimy sculpin, 4 to 6; fourhorn sculpin, 4 to 4.5. Fluctuations in inshore water temperatures in the summer caused short-term changes in depth distribution.

Fishery Bulletin↗
USGS1966

Food of young-of-the-year walleyes in Lake Erie

Stomach contents were examined for 794 young-of-the-year (0-group) walleyes (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) captured by trawls at 17 locations in western Lake Erie in June-November 1962. Food organisms were found in 92.5 percent of the stomachs. Food varied with geographic location and season of capture, but within areas and seasons, selection for certain species and sizes of prey was strong. Walleyes from the extreme western end of Lake Erie fed primarily on gizzard shad and alewives during the summer and shifted to emerald shiners during the fall. The stomach contents of walleyes from the Island region changed from mainly yellow perch during the summer to emerald shiners by the end of the year. Walleyes collected east of the Islands had consumed only smelt and yellow perch. The numbers of forage species caught with walleyes in trawls showed little correlation with the representation of these species in walleye stomachs. Walleyes fed on the smallest individuals of each species regardless of species preferences.

Fishery Bulletin↗
USGS2002

A near-surface, daytime occurrence of two mesopelagic fish species ( Stenobrachius leucopsarus and Leuroglossus schmidti ) in a glacial fjord

The northern lampfish ( Stenobrachius leucopsarus , family Myctophidae) and northern smoothtongue ( Leuroglossus schmidti , family Bathylagidae) are mesopelagic fishes, defined by their vertical distribution in the mesopelagic zone (200–1000 m) during daylight hours. Northern lampfish range from the Bering Sea to southern California (Shimada, 1948), where their abundance is highest along the continental slope and decreases over the continental shelf. They are the most abundant species in the mesopelagic zone of the Bering Sea (Pearcy et al., 1977; Sobolevsky et al., 1996), the Gulf of Alaska (Purcell, 1996), and the eastern North Pacific Ocean off Oregon (Pearcy, 1964; Pearcy et al., 1977). Northern smoothtongue also concentrate in areas bordering the continental slope and are widely distributed from southern British Columbia to the Bering Sea (Peden, 1981) and are very abundant in the Okhotsk Sea (Sobolevsky et al., 1996).

Fishery Bulletin↗