Biotic and abiotic factors that influence Walleye recruitment in stocked lakes in Michigan

Author:

Bopp Justin1ORCID,Herbst Seth J.2,Brenden Travis O.1,Wehrly Kevin3,Hessenauer Jan‐Michael4

Affiliation:

1. Quantitative Fisheries Center Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA

2. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division Lansing Michigan USA

3. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Fisheries Division Institute for Fisheries Research Ann Arbor Michigan USA

4. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division, Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station Harrison Township Michigan USA

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveIn recent decades, widespread evidence of declining Walleye Sander vitreus recruitment in the Midwestern United States has raised concerns about diminishing ecological benefits and fishing opportunities, which in turn has resulted in natural resource agencies using stocking to supplement populations. Success of Walleye stocking events vary; thus, evaluating the external factors that influence recruitment success of Walleye resulting from stocking or natural production is critical for improved management.MethodsWe evaluated factors influencing the relative recruitment in 98 lakes stocked annually with Walleye by integrating 20 years of stocking data with fisheries assessment and abiotic data. We indexed recruitment as the relative abundance of Walleye cohorts from natural and stocked sources combined and used boosted regression tree modeling to identify variables that are associated with varying recruitment.ResultGrowing degree‐days at age 1, shoreline development index, mean depth, and degree‐days at age 2 were the most important variables. The boosted regression tree model explained 17% of observed variability in recruitment. A positive relationship between growing degree‐days and Walleye recruitment was observed, whereas shoreline development and lake depth had a negative relationship with recruitment. Secondarily important predictors were lake surface area, spring warming rate, Northern Pike Esox lucius abundance, and degree‐days at age 0. In general, Walleye recruitment was positively associated with these predictors, with the exceptions of spring warming rates >0.3°C/day and being exposed to >3500 degree‐days at age 0.ConclusionOur results indicate that thermal variables in addition to lake characteristics are important recruitment drivers in stocked waters and highlights the potential for resource managers to use this information to prioritize stocking efforts in temperate lakes.

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Ecology,Aquatic Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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