Salmonine Introductions to the Laurentian Great Lakes : An Historical Review and Evaluation of Ecological Effects

Cover page......Page 2 Publishing Information......Page 3 Title page......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Abstract......Page 8 Résumé......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 10 History of Salmonine introductions......Page 12 Effects of introductions on the introduced salmonines......Page 13 Effects of introductions on the receiving Great Lakes ecosystem......Page 14 1.1 Goal and objectives of this report......Page 16 1.2 Sources of information......Page 17 1.3 Definition of terms......Page 18 1.4 Native and introduced salmonines of the Great Lakes ecosystem......Page 19 2.1.1 Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)......Page 22 2.1.2 Brown trout (Salmo trutta)......Page 42 2.2.1 Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)......Page 51 2.2.2 Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)......Page 63 2.2.3 Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)......Page 72 2.2.4 Kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka)......Page 84 2.2.5 Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)......Page 88 2.2.7 Masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou)......Page 89 2.2.8 Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)......Page 90 2.3.1 Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus)......Page 93 Species Refuge Objectives......Page 94 Recreational Fisheries Objectives......Page 95 Niche Filling Objectives......Page 96 Biological Control Objectives......Page 98 2.4.4 Historical trends in introduction objectives......Page 99 3. Ecology of salmonine introductions to the Great Lakes......Page 102 3.1.1 Survival, growth and development......Page 103 3.1.2 Dispersion and migration......Page 106 Dispersion......Page 107 Migration......Page 108 3.1.3 Reproduction......Page 110 3.1.4 Alteration of life-history characteristics......Page 117 3.2 Effects of introduction on the Great Lakes ecosystem......Page 120 3.2.1 Diseases and parasites......Page 122 3.2.2 Predation......Page 124 Tributaries......Page 126 Lakes......Page 127 Tributaries......Page 128 Effect of introduced salmonine predation on alewife......Page 129 Prey swithing by introduced salmonines......Page 130 Introduced salmonine predation on native species......Page 132 3.2.3 Competition......Page 135 Competition between introduced salmonines and brook charr......Page 137 Competition for stream positions......Page 138 Competition for food......Page 139 Competition for spawning habitat......Page 141 Competition between introduced salmonies and lake charr......Page 142 Competition for food......Page 143 Competition for spawning habitat......Page 146 3.2.4 Genetic alteration......Page 147 Tributary substrate disruption......Page 152 Tributary manipulation by humans......Page 153 Toxic contaminant transport......Page 154 Hatchery effluents......Page 155 Community composition......Page 157 Community energetics......Page 159 4. Discussion......Page 164 General conclusions......Page 175 5. Epilogue: a policy of action......Page 178 6. References......Page 180 Additional sources......Page 208 Data notes......Page 209 Appendix I. Salmonine stocking data summary for the Laurentian Great Lakes (1966–1998)......Page 210 This publication provides a historical review and evaluation of documented ecological effects associated with salmonine introductions to the Laurentian Great Lakes. Salmonines are members of the salmonid sub-family Salmoninae and includes the charrs, the Atlantic salmons, and the Pacific salmons. The history begins with details of the pioneering work of Samuel Wilmot, who established the first government-operated fish hatchery in North America at Newcastle, Ontario in 1866. The introduction of the various species of salmonines is described and the objectives for such introductions are noted along with patterns in trends of salmonine introductions to the Great Lakes Basin from 1870 to the present. The effects of introduction are then evaluated, first with reference to effects on the introduced fish (survival, growth, development, dispersion, migration, reproduction, alteration of life history characteristics) and then the effects on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Using established evaluation protocols & a review of scientific literature & technical reports from the past four decades, evidence of significant ecological effects is presented in six categories: diseases & parasites; predation; competition; genetic alteration; environmental alteration; and community alteration. Finally, lessons learned from the history of non-native salmonine introductions are discussed