Coaster Brook Trout Study in Lake Superior and Its North Shore Tributaries Above211 and Below Barriers. Completion Report

摘要

Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis which spend at least part of their life cycle211u001ein Lake Superior are termed 'coasters' (Newman and Dubois 1996). Coaster brook 211u001etrout were once abundant along the Minnesota shoreline of Lake Superior and 211u001eattracted many anglers in the late 1800's. However, by the turn of the century 211u001eover fishing and habitat destruction led to a severe decline in populations of 211u001eanadromous-Lake Superior brook trout. By the 1950's reports of catching brook 211u001etrout from Lake Superior were rare. The current status of coaster brook trout 211u001ealong the Minnesota shoreline of Lake Superior is largely unknown. Coaster brook 211u001etrout currently do not support a major recreational fishery, however, spring 211u001ecreel surveys indicate that on average 190 brook trout are caught in the lower 211u001eportions of tributary streams each year (Halpern 1995). It is unknown whether 211u001ebrook trout harvested are coasters or streams residents. Increased national 211u001eattention on Lake Superior and restoration of native species has prompted 211u001efederal, state, tribal, and local fisheries organizations to investigate the 211u001ecurrent status of coaster brook trout throughout the Lake Superior Basin (Newman 211u001eand Dubois 1996). The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR), and the 211u001eGitche Gumee chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) entered into a cooperative agreement 211u001eto investigate the status of brook trout along Minnesota's shoreline of Lake 211u001eSuperior.