Important Food Source disappears from Great Lakes

[Fuzzy]

Fellow posters,

This one is serious and I hope unfounded, but I read an AP wire article in a local Sunday paper that Diporeia or 'scuds' (1/2 inch freshwater shrimp) have disappeared from Lake Erie and are dying out in the Great Lakes in general. Scientist say the link is zebra mussels. Basically everything that swims eats these scuds at some point in the life cycle, baitfish, fry and young of the year walleye, perch etc. Apparently zebra mussels have 'filtered out' what the diporeia eat. I can't find the news item on the AP wire service or on any of the Great Lakes Research sites. Although there is mention of ongoing research in Lake Michigan on this.

Has anyone heard about this?? I hate to think that the next few years on Erie might be the last 'good old days'.

I'll post more when I find more from my searching.

[Me again]

Just pushing this back up top.

Did anyone else hear about this?? Sounds serious. I found some ongoing research that backs this up but haven't found the article on the AP wire service yet. I don't think it's 'viewable'
yet.

[RANGER]

I'll bring you back to the top again because I'd like to find out myself!


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[Bob G2]

Fuz, Tom Nalepa at NOAA has been tracking this for at least a couple of years now. I heard him speak a couple times at the annual Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council annual meetings. And, every year that he presents his data, the situation with the Diporea(sp) gets significantly worse. In Lake Michigan, they are now only found in the deeper waters. At first, the problem was seem mostly at the south end of Lake Michigan, but now they are disappearing in the shallows all across Lake Michigan. With Lake Erie being shallow, the problem is more widespread. It is speculated at this point that Zebra Mussels are outcompeting them for food substrate, but why there was not a more immediate impact since the zebs took hold is a mystery. Also being open to speculation is if there is a connection to their disappearance and global warming. Since the zebs and introduction of other exotic organisms, there has also be a sharp decline in other zooplankton species, such as Daphnia, etc.

It is getting scary out there. I hope we don't lose these lakes again. I still remember back to the early and mid 60's when there wasn't much hope on those vast bodies of water. It would be heartbreaking to see a return to those days.

[Tim FRick]

here's the report:

http://www.noodlebagger.com/NewsHeadlines/Losing_fish_food.htm

27 more days till spring!!
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[me again]

Tom - thanks for finding the news item. I was beginning to wonder what I read or maybe it was a goof. Anyway - take a look at the link in Tom's thread folks(especially those who fish the
Great Lakes). This has far graver meaning than just a few years
of poor recoupment.

Fuzzy

[Tim FRick]

Tom or Tim whatever you perfer!!;)

[bob oh]

Tim, I just talked to Fred Snyder of Ohio Sea Grant and he said: "The Diporeia are only in Lake Erie's far eastern basin, so we are not affected around here. Our own species of scuds have actually increased because of zebra mussels." - Fred

So, looks like we're OK here. Course that doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned because it is a symtom of all that is going wrong with our Great Lakes because our officials do not have the guts to take the actions necessary to protect this invaluable resource.
Bob

[ErieAngler]

Bob

You seem to have a knack for coming up with good information when people ask for it. Your experience and networking as a member of the media serves you well.

That said, maybe you could elaborate on exactly who it is that has no guts to take action, and what you are referring to when you said "....all that is going wrong with our Great Lakes" Do you do an op-ed for a publication?

I remember as a kid what Lake Erie looked like (in the 60's) and kinda think today's Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Saginaw Bay area of Lake Huron, and several other areas as things that are going pretty darn right with the Great Lakes.

Mussels, gobies, etc. and Canadian nets aside are there things we as fishermen need to know? I think the netting issue has been addressed. The problem is still is a long ways from being resolved but action has been taken.


Interested in hearing your opinion.

[Fuzzy]

bob oh - thanks for helping me(us) out. I'm glad this country
can afford our resource minders. Thank Fred from me and encourage him keep up the research. I am curious about the name of the Western basin scud so we can keep an helpful eye out.

Well folks- it looks like the ole media threw another 'scary' news story out there and I bit on it like hungry 13 incher.

What's that old saying - "if it bleeds it leads"?

It's is calming to hear that spawning fry and baitfish and everhthing else in the Western basin in safe for now.

This is the best fishing website bar none.

Fuzzy - sorry for the false alarm.