Lake Michigan Lake Trout Management
Fishing Wisconsin
The DNR received a formal request from the Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board on Sept. 30, 2022, to create a scope statement to begin a rule-making process to establish a commercial fishery for lake trout in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Stakeholder Group
To address the issue, the department, along with input from partners, created a Lake Michigan Lake Trout Stakeholder Group to provide input on the Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board's request. A charter for the stakeholder group was created along with meeting dates and topics for each meeting.
You can read the charter for the Lake Michigan Lake Trout Stakeholder Group below. You can also review meeting dates and times and details of the scheduled meetings.
Meetings will be open to all stakeholders and will be announced via press releases and emails. All meetings will be held at
Lakeshore Technical College
Lake Michigan Room
1290 North Avenue
Cleveland, WI 53015
Stakeholder Group Charter
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Stakeholder Group Charter [PDF]
Stakeholder Group Meeting Schedule
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Stakeholder Group Meeting Schedule [PDF]
Information from past meetings including agenda, video recordings and notes and draft meeting agendas and proposed topics (agenda could change based on discussions with the Lake Michigan Fisheries Team and presenters) are shown below. All meetings will be held in person with an online option. Each meeting will be two hours and is planned to be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Documents and Information
Feb. 21, 2023 - Lake Trout Informational Meeting
Agenda
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Agenda [PDF]
Meeting Recordings
- Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Presentation
- Meeting notes including Zoom comments [PDF]
March 20, 2023 - Lake Trout Informational Meeting
Agenda
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Agenda [PDF]
Meeting Recordings
- Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Presentation
- Meeting notes including Zoom comments [PDF]
April 18, 2023 - Lake Trout Informational Meeting
Agenda
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Agenda [PDF]
Meeting Recordings
- Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Presentation
- Meeting notes including Zoom comments [PDF]
May 16, 2023 - Lake Trout Informational Meeting
Agenda
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Agenda [PDF]
Meeting Recordings
- Lake Michigan Lake Trout Informational Meeting Presentation
- Meeting notes including Zoom comments [PDF]
Handouts
Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Maps [PDF]
Great Lakes Fish Consumption Advisories [PDF]
Tribal Harvest of Lake Trout in MI waters of Lake Michigan [PDF]
Tribal Harvest of Lake Trout in MI waters of Lake Michigan - table [PDF]
Lake Superior Commercial and Sport Regulations [PDF]
Great Lakes Commercial Fishing Expenses and Revenue [PDF]
Statement of Scope Overview [PDF]
Steps to Success
To maximize public input and discussion, the following process is being used to help ensure successful Lake Michigan Lake Trout management. You may review the details for each step below by selecting the title.
To provide comments on the information, send an email to DNR Lake Michigan Plan OR to provide written comments, send a letter to:
Bradley T. Eggold
Department of Natural Resources
UWM - GLRF - SFS
600 E. Greenfield Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53204
- Feb. 21, 2023 – Lake Trout Surveys And Assessments
-
Meeting Agenda
- Discuss meeting series logistics/goals/ground rules
- Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board comments
- Present Wisconsin spring lake trout surveys
- Present Wisconsin fall spawner lake trout surveys
- Present results from partner agency surveys from Lake Michigan including Julian’s Reef and the Northern Refuge
- Present how survey results indicate progress toward rehabilitation metrics and goals
- Questions, comments and input (1 hour)
- Wrap-up and next steps
- March 20, 2023 – Lake Trout Mass Marking
-
Meeting Agenda
- Present movement patterns
- Present natural reproduction versus stocked
- Present movement off of stocked reefs to provide a sport fishery at Northern and Mid-lake refuges
- Present and discuss other pertinent information such as diet, length of age, etc.
- Questions, comments and input (1 hour)
- Wrap-up and next steps
- April 18, 2023 – Lake Trout Population And Forecast Models
-
Meeting Agenda
- Present and discuss Lake Michigan, lake trout population model
- Present and discuss lake trout population modeling in WI 3, 4, 5 and WIM
- Present and discuss the forecasting model
- Questions, comments and input (1 hour)
- Wrap-up and next steps
- May 16, 2023 – Working Group Discussion
-
Meeting Agenda
- Present additional data/information as identified from meetings 1-3
- Workgroup members should convey opinions from their respective groups
- Workgroup members should discuss opinions on the optimal future state of the lake trout fishery
- Workgroup members should discuss the benefits and challenges of pursuing a scope statement
- Workgroup members should develop input to pursue or not pursue a Scope Statement
- Questions, comments and input (1 hour)
- Wrap-up and next steps
Contact Information
Bradley T. Eggold
Department of Natural Resources
UWM - GLRF - SFS
600 E. Greenfield Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53204