Estimate of Lamprey-Induced Mortality in a Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Population

1980 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 2151-2158 ◽  
Author(s):  
William D. Youngs

A competing risk model was applied to mortality occurring in a lake trout population subjected to fishing and lamprey parasitism. Two indices are proposed as a measure of lamprey-induced mortality in the lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population: the average number of wounds per fish (W/F) and the average number of scars per fish (S/F) accumulated by a cohort over a period of 1 yr. These indices were used as a measure of the force of lamprey-induced mortality. Fishing mortality was estimated from angler returns of tags on lake trout. Tag returns were also used in a maximum likelihood method to estimate survival of lake trout. Fishing and lamprey-induced mortality components of the model were analyzed by linear regression methods with the force of total mortality (i) as the independent variable. The component for lamprey-induced mortality (either W/F or S/F) did not contribute significantly to the reduction in variation of the force of total mortality, but the component for fishing mortality was significant. A negative coefficient for some analyses associated with the component for lamprey-induced mortality suggested a possible conditioning influence by other factors. Growth of lake trout was examined as a possible conditioning factor but analyses suggested that growth did not influence survival. Lamprey did not apparently cause any appreciable mortality in the lake trout population, age 4 and older, in Cayuga Lake during the years studied. It was not possible to consider younger age-groups of lake trout. Keywords: lake trout, lamprey, mortality


1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (S2) ◽  
pp. s229-s238 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Shuter ◽  
J. E. Matuszek ◽  
H. A. Regier

Creel survey and independent assessment data on the lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) populations of Lake Opeongo were evaluated. Annual estimates of total mortality, fishing mortality, and abundance were generated for each population over the period 1936–83. Large variations in survey efficiency, angler efficiency, fishing mortality, and abundance were identified over this period. We argue that a creel survey, which is expected to provide reliable information on fish population dynamics, requires an overall study design which includes collection of data on the number and relative efficiency of different kinds of anglers and periodic assessment studies aimed at providing independent checks on both survey effectiveness and population behaviour.



1971 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary T. Sakagawa ◽  
Richard L. Pycha

Scale samples collected in 1948 were used to estimate the instantaneous total mortality rate (0.70) and growth for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Lake Superior before the population had been significantly reduced by the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Indirect evidence indicates that the instantaneous natural mortality rate was probably 0.10–0.25. The Ricker model was used to calculate yield per recruitment, which varied with natural mortality and growth. Natural mortality was more critical than growth; yield per recruitment increased 183.3% with a 60% decrease in instantaneous natural mortality (from 0.25 to 0.10). For the prelamprey lake trout population the yield per recruitment was about 12–34 lb; the recruitment of about 3.6–10.1 million lake trout of age 1.5 resulted in an annual commercial production of 4 million lb.



1983 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 681-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald J. Stewart ◽  
David Weininger ◽  
Donald V. Rottiers ◽  
Thomas A. Edsall

An energetics model is implemented for lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, and applied to the Lake Michigan population. It includes an egestion function allowing any proportional mix of fish and invertebrates in the diet, a growth model accounting for both ontogenetic and seasonal changes in energy-density of predator and prey, a model for typical in situ swimming speed, and reproductive energy losses due to gametes shed. Gross conversion efficiency of energy by lake trout over their life (21.8%) is about twice the efficiency of converting biomass to growth because they store large amounts of high-energy fats. Highest conversion efficiencies are obtained by relatively fast-growing individuals, and over half the annual energy assimilated by older age-classes may be shed as gametes. Sensitivity analysis indicates a general robustness of the model, especially for estimating consumption by fitting a known growth curve. Largest sensitivities were for the intercept and weight dependence coefficients of metabolism. Population biomass and associated predatory impact of a given cohort increase steadily for about 3.5 yr then decline steadily after fishing mortality becomes important in the fourth year in the lake. This slow response time precludes manipulation of lake trout stocking densities as a means to control short-term prey fluctuations. Predation by lake trout on alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus, has been increasing steadily since 1965 to about 8 400 t∙yr−1, and is projected to rise to almost 12 000 t∙yr−1 by 1990.



1972 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 795-805 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. V. Martin ◽  
F. E. J. Fry

Lake Opeongo, a 58.6 km2 lake in the highlands of Algonquin Park, Ontario, has been under study since 1936. Due to little human development of the area, environmental conditions have been stable but because of its geological setting and location the lake waters are relatively unproductive.The smallmouth bass introduced in 1928 has had no apparent major impact on the salmonid community but has served to buffer fishing pressure on the lake trout. The cisco introduction in 1948 resulted in faster growing, better conditioned, and more fecund lake trout but has also contributed to their later maturity. Weight production of trout increased and in recent years stronger classes have apparently resulted from the improvement in fecundity. Declines in the perch and benthic insects and a decrease in growth rate of certain fishes since the mid-1950s are apparently related to the cisco introduction.Harvest of lake trout by the sport fishery has varied from 630 to 2700 fish/year representing a long term yield of 0.33 kilos/ha. Mean total mortality rate is 50%/year and exploitation has served to double the mortality rate after the trout have entered the fishery. Year-class production is correlated with spawning escapement and exploitation has limited recruitment to the trout population.



1974 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1351-1354 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Ihssen ◽  
J. S. Tait

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) derived from two populations differed in retention of swimbladder gas. The two reciprocal interpopulation crosses were intermediate to the parent populations. The two F1 hybrids obtained by crossing fish from each lake trout population with brook trout (S. fontinalis) were also found different in retention. Gas retention was correlated with depth distribution of the parent populations, high retention being associated with deeper distribution.



1980 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 2063-2073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Pycha

Total mortality rates of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) of age VII and older from eastern Lake Superior were estimated from catch curves of age distributions each year in 1968–78. The instantaneous rate of total mortality Z varied from 0.62 to 2.31 in close synchrony with sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) wounding rates on lake trout. The regression of transformed Z on the index of lamprey wounding, accounted for over 89% of the variation in lake trout mortality (r2 = 0.893). An iterative method of estimating rates of exploitation u, instantaneous rates of fishing mortality F, K (a constant relating sample catch per unit effort to population size), instantaneous normal natural mortality rate M, and instantaneous rate of mortality due to sea lamprey predation L from the sample catch per unit effort and total catch by the fishery is presented. A second method using the results of a 1970–71 tagging study to estimate the mean F in 1970–77 yielded closely similar results to the above and is presented as corroboration. The estimates of u, F, and M appear to be reasonable. F ranged from 0.17 in 1974 to 0.42 in 1969 and M was estimated at 0.26. L varied from 0.21 in 1974 to 1.70 in 1968. Management implications of various policies concerning sea lamprey control, exploitation, and stocking are discussed.Key words: lake trout, sea lamprey, lamprey control, mortality, predation, Lake Superior, fishery, management



2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (S2) ◽  
pp. 97-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M Gunn ◽  
Rod Sein

This study was designed to test the effects of two potential impacts of forest access roads on lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) lakes in the Boreal Shield ecozone: (i) loss of reproductive habitat through siltation and (ii) increased access and exploitation. During an 9-year study (1991-1999) in Whitepine Lake, access to seven original spawning sites and over 250 alternate spawning sites was progressively removed by covering the substrate with opaque plastic sheeting to simulate siltation. No effects on recruitment of lake trout have yet been detected. Mark-recapture estimates of juvenile (<370 mm fork length) abundance remained high, mean body size did not increase, and emergent alevins continued to be produced from the alternate spawning sites each year. Similar results occurred in a short-term study in Helen Lake. The lack of obvious effects of reproductive habitat loss was in sharp contrast with the rapid and severe effects that fishing pressure exerted on the lake trout population in Michaud Lake where access was improved by construction of a 12-km forest access road. These findings suggest that lake trout can tolerate substantial losses in spawning habitat, but natural populations, particularly in small lakes, must be protected from excessive exploitation.



1980 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 2074-2080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce L. Swanson ◽  
Donald V. Swedberg

The Gull Island Reef lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population was one of the few in Lake Superior that was not annihilated by the combined effects of excessive fishing and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) predation. Following control of the lamprey in the early 1960s, this population of lake trout began a slow but steady increase in the average age and numbers of lake trout. Total annual mortality rates for spawning lake trout were 32% for age VI fish, 48% for ages VII–VIII, and 75% for ages IX and older. These total mortality rates included a 7.3% exploitation rate u, a 20% natural mortality n, and annual lamprey-induced mortalities of 6% for ages V–VI, 24%, for ages VII–VIII, and 56% for ages IX and older fish. The estimated number of lake trout eggs deposited annually on Gull Island Reef from 1964 to 1979 ranged from 3.3 million eggs in 1965 to 28 million eggs in 1979, with a mean of 9 million eggs per year. At present levels of lamprey predation, the estimated egg to spawning fish return rate on Gull Island Reef is 0.18%.Key words: lake trout, sea lamprey, survival, population structure, egg deposition



1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles P. Madenjian ◽  
Stephen R. Carpenter ◽  
Gary W. Eck ◽  
Michael A. Miller

To explain the variation in growth and in concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) among individual fish, an individual-based model (IBM) was applied to the lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population in Lake Michigan. The IBM accurately represented the variation in growth exhibited by the different age classes of lake trout. Uncertainty analysis of the IBM revealed that mean PCB concentration for the lake trout population was most sensitive to PCB concentration in their prey. The variability in PCB concentration among lake trout individuals was not adequately explained by the IBM, unless variation in prey fish PCBs was included in the model. To accomplish this, the simulated lake trout population was divided into subsets subjected to different levels of PCB concentration in the prey fish. Thus, model results indicated that variability in prey fish PCB concentration was an important component of the variation in PCB concentration observed among individual lake trout comprising the Lake Michigan population.



2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 2020-2028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi K. Swanson ◽  
Karen A. Kidd ◽  
James D. Reist

The importance of marine prey sources for partially anadromous fishes has received little study and is complicated by considerable plasticity in life history. We determined proportional contributions of marine, freshwater benthic, and freshwater pelagic prey to anadromous and resident Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from several partially anadromous populations in the Canadian Arctic. Bayesian mixing models (MixSIR) applied to δ34S and δ13C ratios in lake-specific models indicated that marine prey accounted for 90%–91% of anadromous Arctic char diet and 60%–66% of anadromous lake trout diet. When these estimates were combined with proportion of anadromous individuals in partially anadromous populations, marine food sources accounted for 31%–44% of Arctic char population productivity and 16%–26% of lake trout population productivity. Although future research is needed to refine and quantify variability around these estimates, our results will allow better predictions of the effects of anthropogenic stressors on partially anadromous fishes.



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