Walleye Telemetry – Use of Lake Erie’s Ohio reef complex by Walleye during the spring spawning season
Andrew Bade – PhD Student
This project seeks to identify how both environmental (e.g., temperature, photoperiod) and biological (e.g., sex, size) variables influence the timing and duration of movement of adult walleye onto Lake Erie’s Ohio reef complex. We are also interested in determining if individuals are showing spawning-site fidelity to the Ohio reef complex and other western basin spawning populations. We are answering these questions using acoustic telemetry data provided by the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System in conjunction with egg collections and monitoring of environmental data. This research will inform management on the potential need to protect spawning aggregations on the reef complex, help explain variation in recruitment, provide insight into future population responses to climate change, and inform the need for multi-stock management.
Find more information on the Aquatic Ecology Lab project page.