Within the year Michigan has seen a major change of marine life primarily in areas known as Michigan’s Great Lake’s, mainly in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Records show our whitefish population is severely crashing with gross catches declining 70% in fifteen years!
The decrease in Michigan’s whitefish population is primarily caused by a collapse of the food web due to invasive quagga and zebra mussels, which outcompete native organisms and reduce the energy available to young fish. Other factors include habitat loss, pollution, and warming winters from climate change, which further hinder the survival of young whitefish and contribute to an aging population with low recruitment.
What does this mean for michiganders?
The decrease of whitefish profoundly impacts people by threatening the livelihoods of commercial fishers, weakening the economy of local communities, and eroding the culture and heritage of Indigenous tribes. The decline also affects the wider ecosystem and regional food security, signaling a broader environmental collapse.
Sources
https://www.manisteenews.com/news/article/whitefish-populations-collapse-great-lakes-20769698.php
