Salmon stocking reductions announced for Lake Michigan
Indiana DNR is participating in a multi-state plan to scale back Chinook salmon stocking in Lake Michigan to better balance the lake’s ecosystem. Under the lake-wide plan, the 3.3 million Chinook salmon annually stocked into Lake Michigan by Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois would be reduced to 1.7 million. Indiana is pleased to have been part of this process,” said Brian Breidert, fisheries biologist for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. “We hope that this reduction will have benefits to not only the ecosystem but also our hatcheries.” The proposed reduction is in response to two circumstances: recent increases in natural reproduction of Chinook salmon, and declines in the forage base. The reduction has support from all the state and tribal fisheries management agencies that partner to manage Lake Michigan. Indiana’s decision to support the reduction came after more than a year of consultation between sport anglers, other stakeholders and DN...