Management Perspectives on Coaster Brook Trout Rehabilitation in the Lake Superior Basin

Abstract

Coaster brook trout are a migratory form of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis that spend part of their lives in the Great Lakes. Over the last century the abundance of coaster brook trout in Lake Superior has declined dramatically, and only remnant stocks remain. Recently, the rehabilitation of coaster brook trout in Lake Superior has become a goal of fish management agencies. The specific goal agreed upon by all of the agencies involved is to maintain widely distributed, self‐sustaining populations in as many of the historical habitats as practical. We discuss realistic expectations for rehabilitation and emphasize the need for management agencies, academia, and angling organizations to work cooperatively. We first present a brief history of coaster brook trout in Lake Superior, then discuss habitat requirements and protection, the regulations required for rehabilitation, stocking, species interactions, and the role that human dimensions play in rehabilitation. The management issues that must be addressed are implementation of a basinwide survey to identify remnant stocks and critical habitat, restrictive harvest regulations, watershed rehabilitation, critical biological review, and the formulation of expectations before experimental stocking programs are initiated, along with coordinated, basinwide information sharing and cooperative management among agencies similar to that undertaken during the rehabilitation of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Superior. Future research needs include basic coaster biology and life history, habitat use in streams and the lake, interaction with other species in the Lake Superior fish community, and interaction between stream‐resident and coaster brook trout. Successful rehabilitation will require a shift from a harvest fishery to one with minimal or no harvest of coaster brook trout in the Lake Superior basin. Coaster brook trout rehabilitation will take time and will proceed at different rates at different locations, depending on the presence of remnant stocks, quality of habitat, angling pressure, and political will.

Movement and growth indicators in resident and adfluvial coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the Hurricane River, Lake Superior, Michigan, USA

“…Lake Superior tributaries also often contain fluvial (stream resident) brook trout that exist in sympatry with adfluvial coasters. Today, few coaster populations exist; only the Salmon Trout River and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PRNL) (Stimmell, 2006) on the south shore of Lake Superior, the waters around Isle Royale National Park, and the Nipigon River system (Newman and Dubois, 1997) are confirmed habitats of native coaster populations; although several other populations have been restored and there may be other wild remnant populations (see Schreiner et al, 2008). There is functionally no fishery for coaster brook trout in United States waters, but widespread interest in restoring one exists (Newman et al, 2003;Schreiner et al, 2008).…”

“…Today, few coaster populations exist; only the Salmon Trout River and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PRNL) (Stimmell, 2006) on the south shore of Lake Superior, the waters around Isle Royale National Park, and the Nipigon River system (Newman and Dubois, 1997) are confirmed habitats of native coaster populations; although several other populations have been restored and there may be other wild remnant populations (see Schreiner et al, 2008). There is functionally no fishery for coaster brook trout in United States waters, but widespread interest in restoring one exists (Newman et al, 2003;Schreiner et al, 2008). Although restoration of coasters has become a focus in the Lake Superior watershed, a lack of information regarding the life history, ecology, and evolution of these fish is impeding the process (Ridgway, 2008;Schreiner et al, 2008).…”

“…There is functionally no fishery for coaster brook trout in United States waters, but widespread interest in restoring one exists (Newman et al, 2003;Schreiner et al, 2008). Although restoration of coasters has become a focus in the Lake Superior watershed, a lack of information regarding the life history, ecology, and evolution of these fish is impeding the process (Ridgway, 2008;Schreiner et al, 2008).…”

Genetic relationships and gene flow between resident and migratory brook trout in the Salmon Trout River

“…Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are a notable feature of the native aquatic community in the Upper Great Lakes (Newman et al, 2003;Schreiner et al, 2008;Scott and Crossman, 1973). Within the Lake Superior basin, some brook trout are stream residents, while others are lacustrine or lacustrine-adfluvial .…”

“…Coaster abundance and distribution have been drastically reduced from historic levels probably due to the combined effects of overexploitation, habitat changes, and biotic interactions with exotic salmonines Newman et al, 2003;Schreiner et al, 2008). In recent years coasters have become a focus for restoration across the Lake Superior basin.…”