Alewife numbers stable as researchers find no significant change in biomass in Lake Michigan
In recent years, anglers had challenged findings of the annual prey fish surveys stating they saw more alewife than the surveys indicated were present. Anglers contended Lake Michigan could support more Chinook salmon than were being stocked due to fishery managers’ concerns over the health of the prey population.
Wanting to avoid a collapse of the forage base and sport fishery that Lake Huron experienced years ago spurred a cautious approach by fishery managers.
