Guiding lake whitefish through troubled waters
Historically, lake whitefish (atikameg to local Indigenous peoples) have maintained a special status in the Great Lakes region as a source of sustenance and livelihood that remains important today. Whitefish have survived numerous challenges to the ecology of the Great Lakes, including the establishment of invasive species such as the sea lamprey, which wreaked havoc on fish populations throughout the Great Lakes beginning in the 1950s.
More recently, the quagga mussel has emerged as a threat. This small bivalve became established in the Great Lakes in the late 1980s. Despite its small size (an average adult measures roughly an inch) and an appearance far less frightening than the sea lamprey, the quagga mussel has nonetheless been linked to the widespread disruption of the Great Lakes food web.
The proliferation of quagga mussels has coincided with a significant decline in whitefish populations in the Great Lakes, particularly in large parts of lakes Michigan and Huron. The situation points to the delicate equilibrium necessary to sustain the Great Lakes and the fish that define the region
Whitefish are part of the “salmonid” group of fishes that includes trout and salmon. They are found throughout the Great Lakes, with lakes Michigan and Huron historically supporting the most abundant populations and the most productive fisheries. Prized for its mild flavor, the lake whitefish has long played an important role in supporting tribal culture, commercial fisheries, and the locally sourced food economy, including the many fish shops, markets, and restaurants that offer customers this familiar staple of the Great Lakes experience.
Unfortunately, too few young whitefish are surviving to the adult stage. The problem: Quagga mussels filter out algae from the water column that would otherwise feed zooplankton, the microscopic animals most juvenile fish feed on.
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