Lake Ontario salmon stocking cuts: DEC remains steadfast despite criticism

The DEC's decision to reduce the numbers of Chinook salmon it plans to stocks next year in Lake Ontario has to do with the alewife population in the lake -- a baitfish that Chinooks feed almost exclusively on. (David Figura l NYup.com)

Steve LaPan, head of the DEC's Great Lakes Fisheries section.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation's recently announced decision to cut back on the stocking of Chinook salmon in Lake Ontario during 2019 by 20 percent is getting some negative blowback from some charter boat captains and others.

DEC officials, though, stand behind their research results and the decision to carry out the cuts. They emphasize their main priority is to responsibly manage and maintain a world -class fishery on the lake. According to a 2007 study, the lake's fishery provides the state with economic benefits totaling more than $113 million annually.

The decision, comes on top of stocking cuts in 2017 and 2018 that had already reduced the number of Chinook put in the lake by 20 percent. Compared to 2016, the newest reduction will reduce the total number of Chinooks stocked in the lake by 40 percent.

The criticism is surfacing at public meetings the DEC scheduled to discuss the plan and seek public input. Meetings were held last week in Lockport and Tuesday night in Rochester. A final meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Pulaski High School auditorium, 4624 Salina St., in Pulaski.

Chinook salmon are the most sought after game fish on Lake Ontario. In this picture, Rich Maxwell, of Camillus, N.Y., with a nice Chinook salmon he caught on Lake Ontario fishing out of Oswego with Capt. Tony Buffa.

The DEC's decision, which would involve stocking only 1.05 million Chinooks in the lake next year, is based on the status of the lake' alewife population. Chinooks feed almost exclusively on alewife, a type of herring native to the Atlantic Ocean that invaded the Great Lakes more than 100 years ago.

DEC and U.S. Geological Survey bottom trawling studies this spring and other data collected indicate the lake is missing two, year classes of adult alewife - the result of severe winters in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015. The missing 2013 and 2014 year classes of alewife have created a hole in the baitfish's population.

Given the current situation, Steve LaPan, head of the DEC's Great Lakes Fisheries section, told those at Tuesday's meeting in Rochester that there's no doubt Lake Ontario "is headed for some kind of event" in the next couple of years concerning the numbers of alewive in the lake.

The result would be a situation where there would not be enough alewife to feed the stocked and wild chinooks in the lake. Large numbers of the baitfish are needed to support the voracious appetite that allows a salmon to grow over 30 pounds in four years.

"(The two missing year classes of alewives are) creating a pothole down the road. We don't know how big or deep it will be. That's why we're starting the cuts now to shorten that duration of time," LaPan said, adding it would be irresponsible to just sit back, do nothing and "just roll the dice."

Chinook salmon are the top choice of anglers who come from far and wide to fish Lake Ontario, in addition to those who come to fish the fall spawning runs up the lake's tributaries such as the Salmon River.

The DEC's main concern is whether they'll be enough alewife to feed the lake's Chinook salmon.

Critics question the science behind the decision and what they say is a lack of input from charter boat captains and others who this past year experienced a record-setting year for fish caught on the lake. Some charter boat captains have said they often saw ample numbers of baitfish on their fishfinders while out on the water and question the DEC's data-collection methods and data.

LaPan answered that the charter boat captains should have seen large number of baitfish this year, but quickly added that beginning next year things will most likely be different.

Capt. Vince Pierleoni, of Thrillseeker Sportsfishing Charters out of Olcott, said he and others "don't believe in the science" the DEC is pitching. He said there are no indications that the Chinook population is under stress or that there's a shortage of baitfish in the lake.

"We expect to have good fishing the next year or two. We're riding on the coattails of a huge natural hatch. There are so many young fish out there. However, when we get the full effect of the 40 percent cut - and specifically if they decide to continue with it (for several years) - that's when the Chinook fishing in the lake will fall off the table," he said.

"At the very least, they're being ridiculously conservative."

Capt. Brian Garrett, of Tall Tails Sportfishing Charters in Oswego, and president of the Eastern Lake Ontario Salmon & Trout Association (ELOSTA), said the group's board is unanimously against the cuts. The Fairhaven Fisherman's Association is also against them, he said. In addition, some charter boat captains and others have started a letter-writing campaign to convince the DEC and state lawmakers that this is a bad idea.

The crowd at Tuesday night's meeting at Braddock Bay Park in Rochester listens to DEC officials explain why the stocking cuts must be made.

The anticipated DEC stocking numbers for 2019 are: Chinook salmon (1,056,960); lake trout (400,000), rainbow trout (615,700), brown trout (400,000), Atlantic salmon (50,000) and coho salmon (158,000).

"On average, approximately 50 percent of the Chinook salmon originate from natural reproduction (wild fish)," LaPan said. "Approximately 50 percent of (stocked) Chinook salmon will be raised by sportsmen in net pen (spread along the lake' shore), which increases fish survival on average by two times."

As for other fish, LaPan noted lake trout stocking in 2019 will remain at the 20 percent reduced level carried out in 2016 and 2017.

LaPan noted the last time there was an alewife shortage and poor fishing was in the 1990s, when stocking cutbacks were implemented. He noted they worked and the fishery came back.

The DEC is hopeful that a "relatively strong 2018 alewife year class will be detected in 2019," but that it's too early to tell for sure.

LaPan said the DEC's counterparts in Canada are supportive of the DEC's decision and will soon be announcing steps they will be taking to address the issue. Currently, the DEC stocks around 75 percent of the lake's Chinooks.

How long will the DEC's stocking cutbacks continue?

"It depends on a robust distribution of adult alewife (in the lake) that have resiliency and stability," LaPan said.

Steve Hurst, the DEC's chief of the Bureau of Fisheries, emphasized at the Rochester meeting that the overall 40 percent cutback in the Chinooks stocked is a "conservative" adjustment in the management of the fishery, noting some DEC staff proposed a 50 percent cut - and that one Canadian official advocated a complete halt to stocking,

DEC officials noted the number of wild fish in the lake - estimated at 50 percent or more - could lessen the impact of the 2019 stocking cuts.

"Given favorable wind and water temperature patterns, excellent fishing should continue in 2019," LaPan said.

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