Great Lakes Fishery Commission

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Successes and Challenges of Controlling the
Invasive Sea Lamprey in the Great Lakes
Gavin Christie Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Midwest Natural Resources Group Environmental
Round Table 2002 Madison, WI
Great Lakes Fishery Commission
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THE BINATIONAL SEA LAMPREY CONTROL PROGRAM
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Sea Lamprey Control in the Great Lakes -
History of control Lampricide control Status of
sea lamprey populations Alternative
control Direction and lessons
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Challenge effective suppression with lampricides
Selecting the right streams to treat

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Assessment

• Larval Adult
• 
  

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Challenge effective suppression with lampricides
Selecting the right streams to treat Reducing
lampricide use

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Challenge effective suppression with lampricides
Selecting the right streams to treat Reducing
lampricide use Protecting other fish and
organisms

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5.9
6
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3.38
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LC25 TFM (mg/L)
2.92
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1.92
Sea lamprey larvae
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LC99.9 (1.4 mg/L)
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0
Sturgeon
Northern pike
Muskellunge
Rainbow trout
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Challenge effective suppression with lampricides
Selecting the right streams to treat Reducing
lampricide use Protecting other fish and
organisms Suppressing sea lampreys to support
the fish community objectives on the Great
Lakes
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Spawning-phase sea lampreys
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Spawning-phase sea lampreys
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
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Marking rates
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Lake trout marking rates
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Alternative Control Methods -
Barriers Trapping Sterile male
release Pheromones
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Challenge effective control with barriers
Design and siting Effects on stream fish
communities Passing fish and reducing impacts

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Combination low-head / electrical barrier
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Challenge effective alternative control methods
Trap design

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Challenge effective alternative control methods
Trap design Effectiveness of sterile male
release

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Alternative Control Sterile Male Release
Technique

• 44,000 males harvested from 18 tributaries on 4
  Great Lakes

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Challenge effective alternative control methods
Trap design Effectiveness of sterile male
release Potential of pheromones

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Migratory Pheromone
Identification of the migratory pheromone
(petromyzonol sulfate and other components)

• Testing the behavioral activity of HPLC fractions
  (of larval washings) shown to elicit an EOG
  response

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Sex Pheromone

• Identified a male sex pheromone
• Emitted by spermiated males
• Attracts ovulated females
• Functions to coordinate spawning
• Demonstrated it functions in a stream environment
• Two-choice maze (right)
• In the stream, monitored by telemetry

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Challenge effective alternative control methods
Trap design Effectiveness of sterile male
release Potential of pheromones Stock and
recruitment

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Stock versus recruitment (all data)
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Stock versus recruitment (High density spawners
excluded)
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Challenge making decisions in an uncertain
world

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Challenge making decisions in an uncertain
world

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Lessons from sea lamprey control
Sea lamprey suppression is critical to fish
community health in all the Great
Lakes Effective lampricide control is critical
optimal use of information Barriers can be
designed to block sea lampreys and pass fish
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Lessons from sea lamprey control
Alternatives to suppress reproduction
integration of methods pheromone
research Application of decision analysis and
adaptive management to make the best possible
choices in face of uncertainty Prevention!
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August 13-18, 2000 Lake Superior State
University, Sault Ste Marie, MI