**The title, authors,
and abstract for this completion report are provided below. For a copy of
the completion report, please contact the GLFC via e-mail or via telephone at 734-662-3209**
IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
PORTABLE SEA LAMPREY TRAPS
2 Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1,
Email: gomcdona@uoguelph.ca
3 Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6,
Email: kstample@uoguelph.ca
ABSTRACT:
Trapping spawning-phase sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) on their
upstream migration is an integral part of sea lamprey control. Initially, the main strategy for capturing
and holding migratory lampreys was low-head dams that blocked upstream movement
combined with built-in (i.e. permanent) traps.
In more recent years (~1980 onward) portable traps have been added to
the strategy to supplement the catch from built-in traps. However, the trapping effectiveness of
portable traps is typically significantly lower than built-in traps. We evaluated
two strategies for their potential to improve trapping effectiveness: (1) addition of one-way ‘fingers’ to entrance
funnels (ideally, lamprey get into trap easily but cannot get out) and (2) using light
to attract lamprey to entrance funnels, enter the trap and remain. We found that properly operating ‘fingers’
significantly improved catch in both field and lab studies and that trap
lighting improved trapping success in the laboratory by attracting sea lampreys
to trap entrances. However, light did
not improve attraction to, entrance into, or retention in traps in the
field. This difference in behaviour between field and lab possibly occurred because
light cannot attract sea lampreys over large distances (more than a
meter). Overall, we conclude that properly
operating one–way fingers will increase trap retention but the implications of
trap lighting are limited and weak for sea lamprey control.