The changing face of Great Lakes fisheries

Abstract

Fisheries productivity in the Laurentian Great Lakes has changed dramatically over the past century. Invasions of non-native species and anthropogenically induced environmental changes in habitat quality and quantity have significantly altered the species composition and abundance of Great Lakes fishes, thereby affecting the social and economic well-being of coastal communities that rely on the good and services that these fishes provide. Our increased ability to locate, access, catch, preserve, and transport fish while modifying their habitats has resulted in the loss of native fish populations, which has profoundly impacted the ecological functioning and thus the productivity, structure, and services of Great Lakes ecosystems. Further, our lack of predictable scientific knowledge and control over factors affecting the productivity of the various Great Lakes fisheries, coupled with the failure of fisheries governance systems to manage these resources sustainably, have often left Great Lakes commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries and their local fishing communities impoverished and in disarray. In this paper, we discuss the environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic changes that have characterized the Great Lakes basin in the last century. We also share our perspectives and personal stories about the impacts of these changes on ecosystems, fisheries, and the local and regional communities and economies that depend on them for their health and well-being. A key lesson learned was, that if we are to ensure the integrity and productivity of Great Lakes fisheries in the future, we must become better stewards, possessing a more predictable scientific and ecosystem-based understanding of fishes and their habitats while communicating the value of fisheries in food, recreational opportunities, and the economic and social wealth of local communities. The fate of Great Lakes fisheries and the quality of life of the people who use these resources are inextricably linked and can only be sustained in productive, well-governed, and well-balanced fisheries managed holistically at the ecosystem level.

Keywords:

• changing environments
• interjurisdictional fisheries
• invasive species
• water quality

Acknowledgements

We thank the organizers, chairs, and sponsors of the 2018 International Association of Great Lakes Research Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research at which this paper was formally presented. We are appreciative of the efforts of Julia Whyte, a Master’s student at Michigan State University, who conducted and shared with us a preliminary literature review of relevant Great Lakes fisheries publications and existing data sets. We also thank our collective of friends who have helped better connect us to the Great Lakes by boat, rod, net, and story. Henry Regier, in particular, has strongly influenced all authors in their way of thinking about how aquatic systems and management work using a lens of holistic, integrative processes that reflect local, regional, national, and global environmental and social conditions. Through our personal and professional experiences, we have observed many changes in Great Lakes aquatic ecosystems, and we are grateful for people like Henry who continue to share their knowledge and offer novel and innovative ideas in an effort to maintain the health and well-being of Great Lakes fisheries.

The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.