**ABSTRACT NOT FOR CITATION WITHOUT AUTHOR PERMISSION. The title, authors, and abstract for this completion report are provided below.  For a copy of the full completion report, or with questions, please contact the GLFC via email at stp@glfc.org or via telephone at 734-662-3209.**

Expanding the use of fish models for Lake Huron

J.R. Bence¹ and N.E. Dobiesz¹

¹ Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

13 Natural Resources Building

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

February 2004

ABSTRACT:

During the 2001 State of Lake Huron Symposium the Consumption Projection Model or CPM (formerly known as Consume) was identified as an important tool in evaluating progress toward Lake Huron Fish Community Objectives and helping define objectives for the future. While the first version of the model provided valuable insights into consumption by the key predators in Lake Huron, the model was limited to piscivore populations in the main basin. Incomplete coverage of Lake Huron and the lack of a coordinator to oversee annual updates limited the usefulness of the CPM. This project updated the model databases, and organized ongoing support for the model software and its databases. The CPM now includes (1) population databases for lake trout and Chinook salmon in Georgian Bay and the North Channel; (2) databases for lake whitefish and suckers, important hosts for sea lamprey, added to aid in future work; and (3) revisions to the Saginaw Bay walleye database to reflect recently available information. To improve accessibility to the CPM, PC-installable software, a new 75 page user manual, and a screen capture program now reside on an internet file server located at Michigan State University. A coordinator, responsible for annual database updates and as the first contact for software issues, has been appointed by the Lake Huron Technical Committee. These enhancements to the CPM and its ongoing support will improve its usability, making it a valuable tool for fisheries managers.