Invasive species, habitat degradation, and declining water quality led to a collapse of walleye (Sander vitreus) populations in Saginaw Bay in the mid-1990s. Fortunately, these populations have since recovered, and management goals have shifted to ensuring a sustainable harvest. Through our 2022-2024 research program, Michigan Sea Grant is funding Chris Vandergoot, Director of the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS) at Michigan State University, to study walleye. He and his team are using acoustic tags and receivers to identify walleye spawning sites and their relative importance in Saginaw Bay. Ultimately, this project could provide one of the last key missing pieces of information in understanding and helping to manage this newly recovered population and fishery.
MSU’s AgBioResearch unit recently checked in with Vandergoot for an update on his “EZ Pass for fish” project and its place within GLATOS’ broader efforts. Read the article here.
