Lake Huron, one of North America’s Great Lakes, is the second-largest by surface area. It features over 30,000 islands, including Manitoulin Island, the world’s largest freshwater lake island. This vast body of water supports a diverse aquatic community.
A Rich Tapestry of Fish Species
Lake Huron hosts a wide variety of fish species, attracting anglers and supporting commercial fisheries. Walleye are popular sport fish, found year-round in areas like Saginaw Bay. Smallmouth bass thrive in shallower, warmer waters, providing good shore fishing opportunities.
Salmon species, including Chinook and Coho, have established populations in the lake. These non-native Pacific salmon were introduced to help manage invasive prey fish like alewife and offer a challenging catch for sport fishers. Chinook salmon can reach considerable sizes, with Coho salmon typically averaging around 12 pounds.
Trout species are prominent, with native Lake Trout being a top predator that prefers deep, cold waters. Rainbow Trout, often called steelhead, are an introduced species found throughout the lake, particularly near tributary mouths such as the Saginaw and Saugeen Rivers. Lake Trout populations, once heavily impacted, are now recovering due to stocking efforts and lamprey control.
Beyond popular game fish, Lake Huron supports other native species. Yellow perch are common, schooling nearshore in waters less than 30 feet deep. Lake Whitefish, once a valuable commercial fish, are bottom feeders that prefer cool waters and are found throughout the Great Lakes. Cisco, also known as lake herring, are schooling fish that prefer deep water but move to shallower areas as waters cool in the fall.
The Influence of Non-Native Species
Lake Huron’s ecosystem has been significantly altered by invasive species. These organisms, introduced from other parts of the world, can rapidly spread and outcompete native populations for resources. More than 170 non-indigenous species have entered the Great Lakes system, with some causing negative consequences.
The Sea Lamprey is an impactful invasive species, preying on large Great Lakes fish like lake trout, salmon, and walleye. They attach to fish with a suction mouth and rasp through the skin to feed on blood and body fluids, often leading to the death of the host fish. Their uncontrolled populations in the mid-20th century devastated native fish stocks, contributing to declines in species such as lake trout and whitefish.
Zebra and Quagga mussels, which arrived in the Great Lakes via ballast water, are highly disruptive invaders. These mussels are filter feeders that consume massive amounts of phytoplankton and zooplankton, the base of the aquatic food web. This filtering increases water clarity but depletes food for native fish and invertebrates, disrupting the food web. Quagga mussels have largely outcompeted zebra mussels in deeper waters, impacting the ecosystem.
The Round Goby, an invasive species introduced through ballast water, competes aggressively with native fish for food and habitat. These bottom-dwelling fish also consume the eggs and fry of native species, posing a direct threat to their reproductive success. While they feed on invasive mussels, their overall impact on native fish populations is largely negative.
Protecting Lake Huron’s Aquatic Life
Protecting Lake Huron’s aquatic life involves a comprehensive approach that includes sustainable fishing practices and ongoing conservation initiatives. Regulations such as catch limits, size restrictions, and fishing seasons are implemented to manage fish populations and prevent overfishing. These measures help ensure that fish stocks remain healthy and can reproduce effectively.
Conservation efforts focus on habitat restoration and water quality monitoring. Restoring spawning and nursery habitats is crucial for the recovery of native fish species, and projects aim to improve nearshore fish habitats. Water quality monitoring helps track pollutant levels and ecosystem health, with long-term trends indicating declining concentrations of toxic chemicals in Lake Huron.
Controlling invasive species is a significant part of the protective strategy. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission coordinates sea lamprey control programs using lampricides, which target larval lampreys in streams, and physical barriers or traps to block adult migration. These efforts have successfully reduced sea lamprey populations by approximately 90% in most areas since their peak. Collaborative efforts involving government agencies, research institutions, and local communities are essential for effective management and protection of Lake Huron’s aquatic life.