Lake Michigan 7.0 Habitat
Protect and enhance fish habitat and rehabilitate degraded habitats. Achieve no net loss of the productive capacity of habitat supporting Lake Michigan's fish communities. High priority should be given to the restoration and enhancement of historic riverine spawning and nursery areas for anadromous species.
Functional habitats that support Lake Michigan fish stocks were identified and potential remedial actions were prioritized during the reporting period. Results are being used to prioritize habitat protection and improvement actions, funding decisions and research priorities in the Lake Michigan basin.
Pursue the reduction and elimination of toxic chemicals, where possible, to enhance fish survival rates and allow for the promotion of human consumption of safe fish.
Substantial reductions in chemical contaminants in Lake Michigan fish have occurred over time and continue to decline in Lake Trout captured at a long term Michigan monitoring site. Concentrations of chemical contaminants in fish fillets have also declined over time, although trends in recent years varied among species tested. While generally improving, consumption advisories are still in effect for certain species and sizes of consumable fish throughout the basin.
