LAKE ONTARIO COMMITTEE
Ramada Suites Hotel
Niagara Falls, Ontario
29, 30 March 1994
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. Surveillance and Monitoring
The Lake Ontario Committee recognizes that ongoing surveillance and monitoring
programs are essential to understanding the significant changes occurring in the Lake
Ontario ecosystem. LOC urges all agencies, institutions and individuals involved in
data collection, surveillance and assessment to continue their commitment to such
programs and further collaborate in program design, implementation and synthesis.
2. Fish Community Objectives
The LOC renews its commitment to refine fish community objectives for Lake Ontario.
LOC will initiate planning for this process, including consideration of appropriate
multi-agency participation and public involvement.
3. Lake Trout Rehabilitation Plan
The LOC charges the Lake Ontario Technical Committee to amend the 1983 Strategic Plan
for the Rehabilitation of Lake Trout in lake Ontario to reflect ecological changes and
recent research and assessment findings. An amended draft plan should be submitted to
the LOC prior to the 1995 annual meeting. The amended plan shall provide interim
guidance for lake trout management programs until refinements to the present fish
community objectives establish a basis for further revisions to the lake trout rehabilitation plan.
4. Re-establishment of Bloater and/or Deepwater Sculpin
The LOC reaffirms its charge to the LOTC to outline program requirements to
re-establish self-sustaining populations of bloater and/or deepwater sculpin. This
review should include identification of policy and regulatory requirements, technical
feasibility, disease considerations, and a potential time frame.
5. Deepwater Fish Community
To assist in examining the potential for rehabilitation of the "deepwater fish
community", the LOC charges the LOTC to conduct a preliminary investigation of the
historical status of deepwater strains of lake trout in Lake Ontario.
6. Predator-Prey Task Group
The LOC charges the LOTC with formation of a task group responsible for ongoing
modelling of Lake Ontario predator-prey dynamics using the SIMPLE model. This includes maintenance, modification and operation of the SIMPLE model and reporting of
findings. This task group may also become a forum for additional analysis and reporting of predator-prey changes occurring in Lake Ontario.
7. Proposed Rainbow Trout Workshop
The LOC supports in principle the proposal for a basin-wide workshop initiative to
review and synthesize available information on rainbow trout in the Great Lakes and to
provide a forum for discussing related management issues.
8. State of the Lake Report
In recognition of the spirit and intent of State of the Lake reporting, the LOC will
continue to produce annual synopsis (e.g. "Signs of Change", "Ecosystem Watch") to
update partners, stakeholders and interested public in a timely fashion. It is recognized that more formal and comprehensive State of the Lake reports will be
produced on a less frequent basis.
PAS
19 April 94
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