Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Maintain Walleye and Yellow Perch populations that support sustainable commercial and recreational fisheries.

The walleye population and fishery remained sustainable and increased during 2016-2020, providing high catch rates for commercial and sport fisheries. Yellow perch populations and fisheries were sustainable and stable in the west and east basins of Lake Erie. However, central basin reductions in annual yellow perch harvest quota were necessary to maintain sustainability. Poor recruitment in recent years will further delay recovery of the central basin yellow perch population.

Maintain a White Bass population that permits sustainable commercial and recreational exploitation.

The white bass population and fishery remained sustainable with observed declines in abundance and harvest during 2016-2020.

Manage Lake Whitefish fishery harvest to ensure persistence in the system, recognizing increasingly challenging environmental conditions for this species.

The lake whitefish population and fishery remained sustainable with increasing abundance and evidence of several successful hatches during 2016-2020.

Suppress abundance of sea lamprey to levels that will not impede achievement of any fish community objective, especially for coldwater species of low abundance.

Sea lamprey abundance declined during 2016-2020 and the control target was achieved in 2020 for the first time in decades. However, the number of sea lamprey wounds on lake trout continues to be above target.