Reel in the Culture
For the average Ohio angler, there’s nothing quite like spending a beautiful day casting your line out on Lake Erie and coming home to eat a delicious walleye or perch meal. The fishing tradition on Lake Erie has persisted for generations, with happy fishermen and women returning year after year to harvest the highly diverse fishing stock and enjoy the regional culture. But what happens if the quality of this fish stock were to suddenly be diminished? Would the strong fishing culture of the Lake Erie region be lost with it? This concern has become a little too real in recent years leaving many citizens and scientists alike very worried. Luckily, there are steps that you can take as an Ohio citizen, angler, or even just a lover of fish cuisine to ensure that the Great Lakes Region remains a fertile fishing ground for generations to come!
Are there really plenty of fish in the sea?
If you’re an angler targeting big sport fish such as walleye and perch in the Great Lakes, this can be a bit of a loaded question. Walleye populations have been preforming differently in different regions of Lake Erie, and yearly trends from the past few decades bring a lot of practices into question. Media sources from the more eastern regions of the lake report that Lake Erie’s sport fishing industry has a long and bright future ahead of it. Just this past summer angler reports from Buffalo, New York indicated a strong diversity of species within the fish stock as well as several juvenile walleye that will allow this sport stock to persist (The Buffalo News). However data collected from Lake Erie’s western basin shows slightly different and less optimistic results. Summer trawling surveys conducted in 2016 indicate that the population numbers for yellow perch are nearly average while walleye populations have fallen below their yearly average (ODNR). In an environment such as Lake Erie that historically has been known for its abundant fish populations, this may come as a surprise. Why aren’t these fish populations in the western basin performing as well as they used to?
Something’s Fishy
It may seem odd that a fish population such as walleye can be successful in one section of a lake and declining in another. However, this trend starts to make sense when you consider the surrounding watersheds and characteristics of the eastern and western basins. While the eastern basin of Lake Erie is relatively deeper and a good portion of its natural surrounding watershed has been maintained, the western basin is very shallow and its watershed has become increasingly urbanized and agricultural. Suddenly the answer becomes very clear; algal blooms are the likely cause of these declines.
Harmful algal blooms (HAB’s) are defined as any large increase in algal density that is capable of producing harmful toxins. These HAB’s are caused when large amounts of phosphorous and fertilizers enter the lake through surface runoff such as during a big rainstorm (Ohio Sea Grant). These toxins are of major concern to people who recreate in Lake Erie and depend on it for drinking water. But they are also a major concern and threat to the many fish and aquatic organisms that call the lake home, and perch and walleye are not excluded from this threat. Not to mention that no one wants to consume a fish that has been living in a toxic environment.
What’s Happening to Our Fish?
When these HAB’s occur, the increased algal populations deplete the supply of oxygen that is dissolved in the water, which is necessary for fish survival. This low oxygen condition is known as hypoxia, and can result in massive fish kills where fish just start popping up dead. Fish rely on dissolved oxygen in the water to maintain their metabolic activity and overall energy. This being said, it is likely that a fish that can survive slight hypoxic conditions will still be under some stress and thus won’t grow or perform to its full potential. This can be highly unfavorable for anglers. Knowing all this, it can be assumed that these recent increases in the occurrence of HAB’s probably is playing a role in the declining fish stocks being observed in the western basin of Lake Erie.
How Can You Help?
All this information might come off as dismal and hopeless, but there are several ways to fight the occurrence of these HAB’s and make easy decisions to help our fish friends survive and thrive…
Reduce the amount of fertilizers entering the waterways
This practice can be as simple as using less fertilizer on your personal lawn or garden. Putting less fertilizer out on the landscape guarantees that less will be washed into the sewer and then into a nearby stream the next time it rains. You can also talk to your local politicians regarding fertilizer application laws to ensure that big agricultural operations are also following these rules. Everyone has a voice in their community and it should be used to lobby for solutions to wide-spread problems such as this.
Prevent surface runoff
Again this goes back to reducing the amount of pollutants entering the waterways. Planting shrubs, trees, and other plants can establish a solid root system that acts as a buffer on your property that will suck up excess fertilizer before it can make it into local waterways. Investing in a storm barrel to collect rainwater from your gutters is another easy solution.
Be kind to the environment
We all have heard the phrase ‘go green’, and now its time to do it. Simply making smart environmental decisions can help to reduce the urban stresses being placed on surrounding ecosystems such as water and air pollution. Reduce, reuse, and recycle; three simple actions to improve the state of Lake Erie and its many fishes.
Buy local and sustainable
As a consumer you have the power to vote with every dollar you spend at the super market. By supporting local and sustainable fisheries, you will ensure that your money is going to organizations that value fish conservation and sustaining fish stocks for the future.
While every Ohioan has their favorite spot to get a walleye sandwich, fishing is much more than just a way to get a meal. Fishing is essential to a region’s culture and can bring billions of dollars to the local economy through business and tourism. Fighting for the conservation of Lake Erie’s walleye industry is a fight for fish conservation and sustainability on the large scale, and luckily you can play a role in the persistence of this great Ohio pastime.
Sources:
“Algal Blooms in Lake Erie (North America).” Earth Watching , ESA, earth.esa.int/web/earth-watching/environmental-hazards/content/-/article/algal-blooms-in-lake-erie-north-america-.
“Free Family Fun in Lake Erie Shores & Islands: Eight Free, Fun Things to Do.” Lake Erie Shores and Islands , Lake Erie Shores & Islands, 26 July 2016, www.shoresandislands.com/blog/2016/07/26/free-family-fun-in-lake-erie-shores-islands-eight-free-fun-things-to-do.
Hilts, Bill. “Spreading the Good Word on Lake Erie Fishing.” The Buffalo News, The Buffalo News, 16 Aug. 2017, buffalonews.com/2017/08/16/spreading-good-word-lake-erie-fishing/.
“Initial Results of 2016 Lake Erie Walleye and Yellow Perch Hatches Released.” Wildlife News, ODNR Division of Wildlife , 28 Sept. 2016, wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/stay-informed/news-announcements/post/initial-results-of-2016-lake-erie-walleye-and-yellow-perch-hatches-released.
“Research in Focus – HAB’s .” Harmful Algal Blooms, Ohio Sea Grant , ohioseagrant.osu.edu/research/issues/habs).